TWO Essex Police officers serving in the force's western division - which includes Epping Forest and Harlow - have criminal records, the Guardian can reveal.

Records obtained via the Freedom of Information laws show that one officer was convicted of excess alcohol and another for common assault. Both convictions occurred whilst off duty.

Essex Police has refused to reveal the names of the incidents, their locations and details of the incidents as "it would breach individuals rights" under the Data Protection Act.

Harlow MP Bill Rammell, whose constituency includes Nazeing, Roydon and Sheering, said: "These are matters for police judgement taking into account all the facts in each case. I'm surprised however, about the case of the officer who has a record for common assault and I'll be raising it with the Chief Superintendent when we next meet."

Epping Forest MP Eleanor Laing said it was a serious matter for a police officer to break the law.

She said: "If the police officers have taken whatever punishment for these crimes, and there's no likelihood of them offending in the future, then they should be treated like any other member of society.

"However we expect very high standards of our police officers and I'm delighted to hear only two officers are in this position."

On whether the public should expect police officers to be faultless, Epping Forest Council's community wellbeing portfolio holder Syd Stavrou said: "They're obviously a special case but we need to think carefully about what we can expect of them.

"They're just like us and from time to time it's inevitable that someone will stray from the straight and narrow. I doubt there's a police officer who has never wished he'd done things differently on one occasion or another."

An Essex Police spokesman said: "All circumstances would have been considered at the time and obviously the force took the view this would not bar then from continuing to serve."