POLICE officers will be carrying out extra patrols and using additional stop and search powers following an earlier disturbance which involved two people with knives.

Essex Police have been authorised to use stop and search under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in Clacton.

This means uniformed officers will be able to search anyone for any dangerous objects or weapons without the need to have a reasonable suspicion. 

Officers do not need to have reasonable grounds to stop and search someone.

The use of these powers are in place from 4pm today, (Wednesday February 5) until 4pm on Thursday February 6.

The decision to trigger Section 60 of the act follows an incident which happened on Wednesday afternoon outside the McDonald's in Clacton town centre.

According to Essex Police, two people were reported to have caused a disturbance using knives. 

An eyewitness who saw the incident said one of the people had what looked like a machete and shoppers ran to safety in the nearby McDonald's. 

Police are continuing to investigate the incident.

The powers are therefore being exercised by Essex Police to protect the community and prevent incidents of crime and disorder.

Inspector Darren Deex from the Tendring Community Policing Team said: “Following the earlier incident today we are doing all we can to investigate what happened, protect the community, and prevent any further disturbances.

“We will be carrying out extra patrols to reassure residents and we would like to thank the local community in advance for their co-operation.”

Essex Police are appealing for anyone who may have any information, CCTV or dash cam footage, to call101 quoting incident 528