Essex Police football officers focus on fan safety and community engagement
Dedicated team connects with Colchester and Southend fans
Essex Police’s dedicated football officers are working to ensure that football in the county is safe, welcoming, and enjoyable for fans.
PC Niki Howard and PC Keith Baker are the force’s dedicated football officers (DFOs), tasked with maintaining safety at matches involving Colchester United and Southend United.
Their role involves building trust with supporters, clubs, and partners while addressing challenges such as crowd management and hate crime, often drawing on their shared passion for the sport to connect with fans.
Community engagement is central to their work, and they encourage fans, players, and club staff to approach them with concerns about safety and conduct.
The officers collaborate with organisations like Kick It Out to foster respect among fans, using community resolutions to transform mistakes into learning opportunities while resorting to enforcement when necessary.
Niki Howard, a football officer since 2012, focuses on fostering relationships across club structures to enhance matchday experiences.
He highlights the importance of community interaction during matchdays, aiming to ensure fans leave games happy and incident-free.
Keith Baker, Southend United’s DFO since 2015, combines his passion for the sport with his expertise in policing to ensure matchdays run smoothly.
His role involves coordinating with local businesses and host forces to manage the fan experience at Roots Hall, Essex’s largest stadium.
Both officers underline the value of community engagement as they work to keep Essex’s football matches safe and positive.