Police labelled 'embarrassing' after 'boasting' about escorting family of swans out of harm’s way
WATCH: GB News’s Charlie Peters grills Essex Police chief after Nigel Farage called for his resignation
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The young family had been walking along Essex Regiment Way in Chelmsford
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Officers from Essex Police have been branded "embarrassing" after they were snapped escorting a family of swans from the side of a busy road.
A call was made to the force about the group of swans on the A131 Regiment Way in Chelmsford.
A police car attended the scene, with an officer escorting their four children away from the road.
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Chief Inspector Jennifer Bliss said: "I’m pleased we were able to get this young family to safety from the side of a busy road.
"Fortunately our officers are trained for a range of types of incidents so didn’t have to 'wing it.'
"I’m also grateful for the patience of all the drivers on the road at the time.
"Incidents like this could have led to someone ‘spitting feathers’ but everyone was really understanding."
Officers escorted the birds along the busy main road
|ESSEX POLICE
However, local residents questioned whether this was a good use of police time and resources.
One wrote: "I wish Essex cops were as good at finding tea leaves (thieves) as finding puns to use in their reports.”
Another posted: "You are boasting about this? Embarrassing."
Others likened the incident to a scene in hit 2007 British comedy Hot Fuzz, where two officers, played by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, try to catch and arrest a swan.
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The family of swans were escorted along the road
|ESSEX POLICE
However, not everyone on social was negative about the actions of the officers.
One wrote: "Hats off to the officers for keeping the family safe, and kudos to the drivers for being patient, this could have ended so differently. Well done to all involved."
Another added: "Aww they are adorable. Glad the officers got them to safety.
"They were strolling along without a care in the world."
Earlier this year, a report found Essex Police "acted reasonably" during a hate crime investigation into a social media post by the Daily Telegraph reporter and columnist Allison Pearson.
Pearson said she was wearing her dressing gown when she was spoken to by two constables from Essex Police on Remembrance Sunday, about a year-old post on social media platform X.
News of the visit sparked a backlash, including from former Conservative Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, who both called the incident "appalling", and X owner Elon Musk.
However, an independent review by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has concluded that decisions were made "in good-faith and without fear or favour."