FOR 70 years Essex Police has been patrolling the coastline and waterways of the county preventing crime, catching criminals and protecting the people of Essex.

Originally named the River Section, a sergeant and four constables were the first officers to become members of this new unit which specialised in marine policing and launched in September 1949.

Over the next decade, the section grew with the addition of officers and boats to cope with increasing demand for their service, whether this was to prevent a rise in coastal water crime, the illegal importation of goods or the utilisation of their search and rescue skills.

Today, the unit polices 562 miles of coastline and waterways from the Thames at Crayford Ness to the River Stour in Manningtree, working alongside partners such as the RNLI, UK Border Force, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Port of London Authority.

The major anniversary of the Marine Unit was commemorated with a large-scale celebration at Burnham Yacht Harbour.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Wells attended the ceremony and presented the team with a 70th anniversary commemorative plaque.

He said: “This is a fantastic achievement not only for the unit but the entire force too.

“We are proud to be one of only seven police forces in the country to have this specialist unit and the team’s continual work to prevent crime, protect the community and deter criminal activity is outstanding.

“We are also fortunate to have two special constables, who have undergone the specialist training required to be a marine officer and their work within the community is invaluable, something which the team were recently recognised for, receiving a Lord Ferrers Award.

“It takes a dedicated and self-motivated individual to become a marine officer, deploying both day and night, in all weathers to ensure the county is safe and criminals are brought to justice.”

Divers were an addition to the unit in 1967 and assisted with the search and recovery of evidence, stolen goods and missing people and in 1971 an inspector was appointed to oversee its expansion as it was named the marine unit.

The section continued to evolve with the changing landscape of marine crime and by the turn of the millennium, officers were operating Halmatic Rigid Inflatable Boats and jetskis to combat use of faster vessels within criminal activity. Policing waters during large scale events, such as the Clacton Air Show, has also been a key part of the job and in 2012 the unit played a vital role in policing the Thames 24 hours a day during the Olympics, supporting the military and working alongside colleagues from neighbouring forces.

The marine unit faced uncertain future in 2013 when it was announced it would close as part of a major restructuring plan - aiming to save the force more than £750,000 a year. When the changes came into effect, five of the nine officers based in Burnham were transferred to Special Branch, responsible for anti-terrorism and protecting high profile visitors.

These days, the four members of the specialist unit carry out the majority of their work from two boats based in Burnham.

Roger Hirst, police, fire and crime commissioner, said: “With more than 350 miles of shore, Essex has the second longest coastline of any English county.

“That fact makes the work of our marine unit invaluable when it comes to keeping people safe as well as preventing and detecting criminal activity on our waterways.

“The people of Essex are lucky to have a team of such dedicated and specialist officers who work in sometimes difficult and dangerous circumstances to protect them.”