FORTY-SIX years after he swapped his school uniform for a police helmet, Epping Forest’s crime reduction officer is no nearer to putting his feet up.

Tony Ellis joined Essex Police at 16 and served as an officer for 30 years, before taking up his role as a civilian officer advising the district council’s safer communities team.

He received the force’s lifetime achievement award on Wednesday in recognition of his decades of dedicated service to policing in the county.

“I left school at 16 years old on the Friday and on the Monday I was a police cadet walking into Brentwood station,” said Mr Ellis.

Now 62, the merging of Epping Forest and Brentwood policing districts earlier year has seen the axing of Mr Ellis' Brentwood counterpart – meaning he will soon be tackling twice the duties.

“As of February 1, I will be covering Brentwood too – I’m hoping that I’ll make 65,” said Mr Ellis.

“I think it will make a big difference. Two into one doesn’t go, does it?

“I’ve got a certain standard of service that I think I can deliver to both areas, but I’m going to have to prioritise certain things. There’s only so many hours in a day.

“My personal priorities – I’ve yet to agree any – but how I see it at the moment, are victims of dwelling burglary, vulnerable victims of crime and victims of domestic violence.”

A typical day sees Mr Ellis work from 7am to 4pm,  visiting victims, communicating with his many email networks and dealing with overnight crimes,  before taking a quick break and returning to the job from 6pm to 8.30pm.

“I could write a book on some of the things that I’ve seen and done. I go back to the Life on Mars days," added Mr Ellis.

“I did once manage the dubious honour of annoying both the Russian embassy and the Chinese embassy on the same day – we stopped a vehicle that we thought was involved in crime and they didn’t appreciate it.

“I just love the diversity of Epping Forest. You’ve got Willingale, with two men, three churches and a goat and you’ve got Loughton with 70,000 people.

“I have never had a day in my life when I haven’t been involved in policing. I look back on my career and I wouldn’t have changed a moment.”