Sixty-five schoolchildren were stopped and questioned in less than three hours by Chelmsford's first truancy patrols on Wednesday.
Two of those detained by police were teenage boys who were carrying cannabis.
They were detained and taken to Chelmsford police station.
Two pairs of police officers and education welfare officers trawled the town centre and market while another duo were detailed to the Melbourne area.
Safe centres were established at the Meadows shopping centre and Rainsford School for the police to process any children out on their own before accompanying them back to school.
Of the 65 stopped, 40 were with their parents and 25 on their own, two of whom were escorted back to Rainsford High.
Many of the parents out with their children told the officers that their children were off school with colds.
It transpired that many of the unaccompanied teenagers were from the Plume School, Maldon, which was closed for the day.
A similar sweep in Eastgate Shopping Centre, Basildon, on Monday caught 89 truants.
In Brentwood, 55 youngsters were stopped and questioned.
Essex education welfare service manager David Deeks said that, of an average of 24,000 children playing truant in Essex each year, it was well known to the education welfare service that most were off with their parents' consent.
Published Thursday, December 12, 2002
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article