Roger Hirst
“For me, safe and secure communities are the bedrock on which we build success and prosperity. Good policing means our residents feel secure and safe in their homes and on Essex streets.”
Roger Hirst was first elected as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex in May 2016 and has since been elected for a third term in May 2024. He became the first Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in the country in October 2017.
Roger’s core belief that safe and secure communities are the bedrock on which we build well-being and prosperity for all, remains central to his vision for making Essex safer. A strong advocate of prevention, partnership and people, Roger has worked hard to build a foundation of collaborative working between emergency services, local authorities, councils, the voluntary sector and communities in Essex, believing we can do more and achieve more together.
A long-standing member of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioner’s Board and Finance Lead for Police and Crime Commissioner’s nationally, Roger led the successful campaign to secure additional funding for policing and achieved the target of recruiting an additional 905 Essex Police officers in March 2023, making the force the biggest in its 185-year history.
Roger’s ambition is to continue to drive down crime through continuing investment in local policing, using data driven activity to target known hotspots and providing early intervention to identify and protect vulnerable people.
Prior to his election as Commissioner, Roger was Cabinet Member at Essex County Council with responsibility for Community Safety. He was also Deputy Leader of Brentwood Borough Council and has 33 years’ experience as a senior investment banker.
Mr Hirst became the first Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in October 2017 and continues to work nationally and locally to build stronger links between emergency services and help create more secure communities.
Prior to his election as Commissioner, Mr. Hirst was Cabinet Member at Essex County Council with responsibility for Community Safety; Deputy Leader of Brentwood Borough Council; and has 33 years’ experience as a senior investment banker.
Roger Hirst’s salary is £91,600 pa
You can view the PFCC’s disclosable interests, expenses, gifts and hospitality here:
PFCC Gifts and Hospitality 2025
Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner - Joel Charles
“It is an honour to be appointed the Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, supporting the work of two key blue light public services.”
Joel brings wide-ranging experience across public protection, community safety, policy development and partnership working at both local and national level.
He is a Councillor on Harlow District Council, where he currently serves as Cabinet Member for Public Protection. He previously held the roles of Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member responsible for Business and Community Resilience in the period following the Covid-19 pandemic. Through this work, Joel has played an active role in Safer Essex and wider community safety partnerships.
Before entering local government, Joel worked in Parliament as a Senior Parliamentary Assistant to Sir Julian Brazier and was part of the executive team that established the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. During this time, he acted as Secretary to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Policing.
Joel also has more than ten years’ experience in senior leadership roles across the charitable and private sectors. His career includes director-level positions in policy, communications, public affairs and government relations, as well as serving as Deputy Chief Executive of a health and social care think tank.
Alongside his professional roles, Joel continues to serve as a charitable trustee and has worked closely with youth charities in Harlow to develop educational opportunities aimed at diverting young people away from county lines involvement. He has also supported initiatives to improve mental health and wellbeing within the youth justice sector.
As Deputy PFCC, Joel supports the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in providing effective governance and oversight of policing and fire and rescue services, working closely with partners and communities to deliver the Police and Crime Plan and the Fire and Rescue Plan for Essex.
Role and responsibilities
As Deputy PFCC, Joel Charles will:
· Support the PFCC in maintaining strong governance and scrutiny of policing and fire and rescue services
· Attend and contribute to partnership boards, community initiatives and stakeholder forums
· Work closely with local and national partners to support delivery of the Police and Crime Plan and the Fire and Rescue Plan for Essex
· Assist in ensuring effective, responsible use of resources during a period of ongoing financial pressure across public services
The DPFCC's annual salary is £81,500
The DPFCC’s disclosable interests, expenses, gifts and hospitality will be available soon.
