Special Constable Joe Eardley with his daughter Jolene in the early 1990s A special constable who has spent three decades keeping the streets of Colchester safe has said a fond farewell to the force. Joe Eardley, 71, joined Essex Police in January 1988 and became a familiar face patrolling Colchester town centre on Friday and Saturday nights. Joe, who combined his police work with a full-time job as a prototype engineer, said he’d "enjoyed every bit" of being a special constable. He worked with roads policing and as part of the Safer Colchester project team before joining the Colchester Community Policing Team 11 years ago, rising to the rank of Section Officer.