The Police Marine Unit - In the Line of Duty

Sgt Alex Southgate of the Essex Police Marine Unit provides an insightful look into the work of his waterborne team, the ‘tools of their trade’, and some of the testing situations he and his fellow police colleagues have encountered in the line of duty.

Essex has played an important part in maritime history since as far back as Roman times and still plays a significant role today. Over the years, it has faced all manner of crimes, from smuggling to the hijacking of ships. In the 1850s, the county’s first marine officers were deployed on the River Colne in an attempt to stop thefts of cockles and muscles. Nowadays, crime on the water is fairly rare, but in recent years, the Essex Police Marine Unit has faced some new challenges.

Facing out to the Thames Estuary, the Essex coastline has approximately 360 miles of shallow rivers, creeks and estuaries along with beautiful beaches and tidal marshes. These sheltered areas appeal to many different water users, including sailors, kayakers, kitesurfers and open-water swimmers. For several decades now, the Essex coast has also been an appealing playground for personal watercraft (PWC) riders.

PC Darren Chambers and PC Fin Clark. Essex Police Marine Unit at Burnham on Crouch.

Dedicated police officers on water patrol.

It’s a fair cop

Sgt Alex Southgate of the Marine Unit says: ‘In recent years, getting out on the water has become so much more accessible, which has led to an explosion in the number of people visiting and using our coast. While this increase is great to see, it does present some challenges in ensuring everyone can be safe on the water.’

It’s not just people that the officers help to protect. The unique habitats along the Essex coast also attract many different species of seabirds, some of which are protected by legislation due to their vulnerability. Sadly, however, with the significant increase in water-based activities came a surge in reports of antisocial behaviour, including breaches of various speed restrictions and some PWCs being ridden in a manner that puts other people’s safety at risk.

Alex says: ‘We know that not all PWCs are ridden in an antisocial manner, but the majority of the reports we receive relate to PWCs and the way in which they are ridden.’

In 2020, there were almost 100 reports of antisocial behaviour on the water in Essex. To tackle these issues, the Marine Unit launched ‘Operation Wave Breaker’. This sees targeted patrols of the busiest areas at the busiest times aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour. It’s a joined-up approach involving other agencies and local authorities with an interest in keeping the Essex coastline safe. One is Maldon District Council, which oversees the River Blackwater. The Blackwater leads from the Thames Estuary up to the picturesque town of Maldon, known for its world-famous sea salt and array of historical Thames barges, which sail up and down the river throughout the year. Maldon District Council provided Essex Police with two Sea-Doo RXT 300 PWCs for the Marine Unit officers to use for their patrols and they have proved a very valuable asset.

The game changer

‘These PWCs really have been a game changer for my team,’ says Alex. ‘Not only do they allow us to patrol the shallower areas that our boats can’t, but they have also broken down a lot of barriers with the marine community. We find that where people may not have approached us before, they are now keen to come over and see what we are doing. It’s unusual to see “cops” on PWCs, so they are naturally intrigued.’

Details and livery of the Sea-Doo RXT 300.

The laws relating to speed limits on the water are very different to those on the road, and there isn’t such a thing as a speeding ticket for the water. Speed restrictions are put in place by local authorities and harbour masters under what are known as ‘byelaws’. The team enforces these byelaws and, where necessary, will report riders to the local authorities, which, in turn, will take court action. However, this is a last resort and usually only undertaken when the safety of others is being put at risk.

Alex explains: ‘Our focus is not about sending people to court. It’s about engagement and education. Taking the time to explain where the speed limits start and finish, why they are there in the first place and where protected areas are doesn’t just reduce the likelihood of an accident occurring but also really helps us to build trust and confidence with our marine community.’

Antisocial antics

Last year, incidents of antisocial behaviour relating to PWCs dropped by a quarter from those reported in 2020 – from 99 to 74. Essex Police hope that this year, incidents will drop further still as more people realise that the council byelaws are in place to keep them, other water users and the multitude of wildlife safe from harm.

Between April and September 2022, the unit’s six officers stopped and spoke to 179 PWC riders and 49 people in powerboats about their behaviour on the water. As a result of this, 164 verbal warnings were given and 12 PWC riders were reported for court action after exceeding the speed limits. The fines issued by courts ranged from £250 to £400. However, a couple of years ago, one court fined a PWC rider on the River Thames more than £2,000.

In November, Southend-on-Sea City Council passed a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), which covers the whole of the Southend foreshore and includes Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). It was brought in after several near misses involving PWCs and some riders’ antisocial behaviour.

Alex continues: ‘Some of the behaviour we saw along the coast last year was very dangerous, and where our safety advice was ignored and people were putting the safety of others at risk, we took the necessary action to support our district councils with prosecutions, and we will not hesitate to do so again this year.’

Crash, bang, wallop!

The most noticeable concern for the team has been the number of people who take to the water on PWCs without any kind of tuition on how to use them. Last summer, while out on patrol, officers stopped a PWC rider to speak to him about his speed in an 8-knot limit. Having asked the rider to come alongside their RIB, Sentinel, the officers were shocked to see that the rider was not only unable to control his PWC but also had no idea how to switch the engine off. Incredible but true!

Alex remembers: ‘As we indicated for the rider to come alongside us, he lost control and collided with Sentinel. As he did so, one of the mirrors on his craft snapped off and fell into the sea. The rider then made a second attempt from the other direction and did exactly the same again, sending his other mirror to the bottom of the sea with the first one!’

Although it’s not compulsory, Alex recommends completing the RYA PWC course before heading out on the water.

Antisocial behaviour doesn’t just occur along the shoreline. Essex has some large offshore wind farms as well as several Maunsell Forts, dating from the Second World War. In recent years, as more people have got out on the water, some have tried to reach them and even attempted to gain access to them. Although they are fascinating to see, climbing on them or even just getting too close poses a significant safety risk. A few years back, Marine Unit officers were winched down from a helicopter to one of the forts, which had been illegally occupied.

Vital roles

Essex Police Marine Unit doesn’t just tackle antisocial behaviour on the water. The county’s 360 miles of coastline includes large container ports and a cruise terminal at Tilbury on the River Thames, the International Port at Harwich and several smaller commercial ports, such as Brightlingsea on the River Colne and Baltic Wharf on the River Crouch. The approach to the Port of Felixstowe is situated in Essex waters, and so boarding commercial ships is a key part of the team’s role in enforcing maritime safety and security.

The Marine Unit regularly supports colleagues from Border Force and has worked with the National Crime Agency to help tackle organised crime groups who have used the Essex coastline for their activities. A recent stop-check by the team on a suspicious RIB led to a joint agency operation to tackle human trafficking and the arrest of three people.

Essex has a busy commercial fishing fleet and so the unit works closely to support the Kent and Essex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA). ‘Conducting joint patrols with IFCA not only supports them with their enforcement activity but also allows us to share intelligence and be each other’s eyes and ears along the coast,’ says Alex.

As with any community, crime (and becoming a victim of it) can be a concern and this is no different in the marine community. Boats and their equipment are expensive and can be easy pickings due to the remote areas where they are often moored. Essex Police run a Marine Watch scheme that provides marine-specific crime prevention advice and equipment marking. It also encourages people to keep an eye out for each other’s property and report anything suspicious.

Looking after the second-longest coastline in the country unfortunately means that Marine Unit officers are often called upon to search for missing people. Sadly, in some cases, this results in them having to recover bodies from the water.

‘While patrolling on a PWC or RIB can be the better side of policing, we are still faced with the same difficult tasks as our land-based colleagues,’ explains Alex. ‘Although it is “part of our job” it can still take its toll on the team, and so keeping an eye on each other’s welfare is really important.’

In the run-up to the coronation of King Charles III in May, the Marine Unit was tasked by the Ministry of Defence with escorting the Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond onto the River Thames. It wasn’t the first time the team had been asked to perform this type of escort – they have even looked after aircraft carriers passing through Essex waters.

‘We are often asked why a heavily armed warship weighing thousands of tonnes requires a (in comparison) small police boat to escort it. We are there to prevent any kind of disruption or blockade, whether intentional or accidental. Once you get on the Thames there’s not a lot of room for error, and so we keep an eye out for any smaller vessels that may accidentally end up in the path of the warships.’

Alex and the Essex Police Marine Unit team wish to emphasise that they want everyone to stay safe when they are out on the water and enjoy what the beautiful Essex coastline has to offer.

‘We really aren’t here to ruin anybody’s fun,’ he explains. ‘Outside of work, my pastimes involve me being out on the water, and so I have a genuine interest in, and understanding of, the marine community. We simply want everyone to be able to use the water safely.’

The Essex Police Marine Unit

The Essex Police Marine Unit comprises one sergeant and five constables who police the county’s coastline and inland waterways throughout the year. The area they cover runs from the border with Suffolk in the north to Crayford Ness, just beyond the Dartford River Crossing, at the border with Kent and the Metropolitan Police area in the south. Based at Burnham on the River Crouch, the team are out on patrol seven days a week in all conditions.

As well as the two BRP Sea-Doo PWCs – which have a top speed of 65 knots – the unit has a 24ft Halmatic RIB coupled to twin 225hp Mercury outboards with a top speed of 56 knots. The RIB allows officers to respond quickly to incidents on the water in a range of weather and sea conditions. Also in their armoury is a 42ft Halmatic launch, which is currently in the process of being replaced with an even more modern vessel.