Last night, officers from Southend’s Community Policing Team engaged with car enthusiasts who came to Southend to meet up with like-minded car owners. Sergeant Dan Hirsch, was one of those officers policing the new city’s seafront. He said: “I’m really keen to let people know that the dispersal order is not about spoiling people’s fun. “It’s about making sure everyone – drivers, spectators, visitors and our community – is safe and that the roads are used properly. “Poor and dangerous driving, coupled with speed, could contribute to serious injury, and we don’t want that. “This event saw the vast majority of people acting perfectly lawfully and the dispersal order had no impact on them.” District Commander Ian Hughes, added: “We want to protect our community, but equally we want to keep the car enthusiasts safe. “Reducing anti-social behaviour is a priority for us as we understand it impacts the lives of those who live and visit Southend. “Speeding, stunt driving and excessive noise rightfully raises concerns for our residents. But my officers have been talking to last night’s visitors and we’ve had lots of positive comments from them saying they liked having police there as it deters the people who might cause anti-social behaviour and give their past time a bad reputation.” Sergeant Dan Hirsch, added: “Some took the opportunity to get advice with regards to their vehicle modifications and the law. We even helped one person loosen off their locking nut so they could change their flat tyre!” Only one ticket was issued during the car meet, to a driver who was showing their driving skills, right in front of our officers.
