Until 1840 law enforcement was in the hands of elected part time Parish Constables who were responsible for bringing offenders before local Magistrates or for trial at Quarter Sessions held at Chelmsford.

The old village lock up at Bradwell which was built in 1817 for detention of adults and juveniles still exists.

 The Parish Constables faced a difficult and dangerous job as is evidenced by the case of Peter Jerome who was a gentleman of Woodham Mortimer who attacked a Parish Constable with his dagger drawing blood for which offence she received a fine of six shillings and eight pence.

for details of the Bradwell lock up.
On 11 February 1840 Essex agreed to adopt a police rate that would allow the formation of Essex County Constabulary.
The initial recruits included PC 20 William Aubrey a baker from Stow Maries, PC 58 Charles Fletcher the Parish Constable from Tillingham and PC 35 James Holby a corn dealer from Latchingdon.                        
Also amongst the first recruits was Andrew Rome who was a 22yr old former tea dealer from Scotland. Andrew Rome was subsequently promoted to Inspector where he commanded the Essex Police Unit responsible for policing the oyster beds at Burnham on Crouch until his retirement in 1897. His 57 years of service is a record that is unlikely to be beaten.
The initial deployment of men saw 14 Police Divisions which included Dengie Division controlling the Dengie 100 area. This Division was commanded by ex Army Officer Superintendent John Hawkins with one Constable at Latchingdon, 2 Constables at Southminster and 1 Constable at Bradwell on Sea.

Latchingdon Station and Court House 1443 - 1995

Customers at Butchers Corner, Latchingdon are not only able to purchase cuts of meat and some of the       best sausages in the area but they are able to step back in time to the main seat of justice in the 1800's.
Roger and Lesley Cook who are the current owners of Butchers corner have been kind enough to supply a brief history of this interesting building for the period 1840 to 1930 .
Although the building is sited in the Street on the western edge of Latchingdon Village and is known as Latchingdon Police Station it is actually within the boundary of Purleigh Parish.
In 1841 a plot of land was purchased from Mr Samuel Clift for £60 and  agreement was reached with Mr Haywood from Colchester to build a Police Station for £1,100. In the manner of the day brick for the Police Station were built locally by Richard Solly at Mundon Hall Farm for 9 shillings per thousand including transport to the site. These locally made bricks are still in good condition over 160 years later.

The new police Station was formally opened in 1843 making it one of the first Police stations in both the county and the country.
The building consisted of two cells, a guard room, Superintendent's kitchen and parlour and bedrooms/social rooms for the men stationed at Latchingdon.

At this time the manpower of the Dengie Division was a Superintendent at Latchingdon, and Inspector at Southminster and one Constable at Latchingdon, Southminster, Purleigh, Tillingham, Burnham and Bradwell.

By 1850 the complex was extended to include a Court House where a Petty Sessions Court was held.

In 1851 residents included Superintendent Francis Knock, his wife Amelia and their 7 children plus Police Constable William Peacock, his wife Susannah and their 3 children.

Police strength in the Dengie Division had by then risen to a Superintendent at Latchingdon, an Inspector and two constables at Burnham Oyster Company and a Constable at Latchingdon, Southminster, Steeple, Purleigh, Woodham Walter, Woodham Ferrers, Althorne, Tillingham and Burnham.

 On 7 August 1886 Police Constable 213 Edward Raven was returning to Foulness in a small boat when it capsized in the strong breeze, and he was drowned.

Police Constable Edward Raven was born at Steeple in Essex, working as a labourer prior to becoming a policeman when he was 23; his brother Elijah joined the City of London Police.

Edward Raven's first posting was to Chelmsford till June 1862, but for the next 20 years he was one of the Essex police officers whose wages were paid by the Burnham Oyster Company to protect their fisheries; it seems likely that he already had some previous knowledge of boats from his upbringing in a riverside village. In 1882 the Burnham Oyster Company reduced the number of its officers, and Edward Raven worked in his birthplace before volunteering for the Foulness beat.

to visit the Essex Police Memorial Site

 Policing demands in the area continued to grow throughout the Dengie 100 to the extent that Latchingdon Police Headquarters and Court was not large enough.

By 1888 whilst the number of Constables remained unchanged  Dengie Division consisted of a further Inspector and three Sergeants.

In 1902 a new Divisional HQ and Magistrates Court was built at Southminster and Latchingdon reverted to the residence and office of the local constable until the 1930s.
In more recent times Latchingdon had a modern Police House which provided the residence and Office of a Constable.

Changing methods within Essex Police meant that in the mid 1990's the Police House was sold to private ownership ending 150 years of police presence in the village.
Visitors to the Butchers shop will still see evidence of the original Police station including the change of use for one of the cells into a chilled meat store. Butchers corner is open at normal trading hours but if you want to check the time of trading contact can be made on 01621 740255.

 Southminster Police Station 1902 - Current

Essex County Constabulary

Essex and Southend on Sea Joint Constabulary

Essex Police

 The opening of Southminster Police Station and the attached Courthouse moved the HQ of the Dengie Division to Southminster.

The new Police Station included  4 cells lit by gas light and an exercise yard with toilets which represented a considerable advance in the treatment of prisoners.
To the rear of the building were stables with hay loft for the Superintendents pony and trap.
Manpower had more than trebled since 1840 with a Superintendent, an Inspector, three Sergeants and 14 Constables to police the Dengie Division.

In 1914 reorganisation of Essex Police meant that the Dengie Division which has by then grown to 23 Officers was to disappear as a Section of the Rochford Division commanded by an Inspector based at Southminster.

 for details of some of the crimes dealt with by Southminster Police .

Southminster Magistrates Court was closed in the mid 1980's and has been converted to a library. The contents of the Courthouse have been taken to Essex Police Museum where they provide one of the many interesting exhibits.
Southminster Police Station has received several refurbishment's but remains the centre for policing the Dengie 100.

Burnham Police Station has been in several sites including Albert Road where the below photograph was taken. of a victory parade in 1944

The Police station is now a private house.

A new Police Station was built in Station Road in the late 1960's which today serves as a centre for Essex Police Marine Unit who operate a police launch and several fast inflatables in the Rivers Crouch and Blackwater

.