Peter Allan's blog

Positive Partnerships for Practical Change.

Positive partnerships for practical change was the message that rang out loud and clear from the assembled gatheringat the Triangle in Burgess Hill on Friday (17^th Feb) evening. The RoC roadshow had come to town and an audienceof between 500-600 people heard how their town and surrounding villages were a great place to live.

The thirty or so stalls showcasing the work of local charities and help groups who support people in the areas of debt management, healthy living, mediation, addiction and family support to name a few were recognised and congratulated for the part they already play in delivering positive outcomes for local people. But for fifteen local churches and Sussex Police they saw the positive experiences that RoC had already brought to Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Eastbourne as something they wished to replicate in Mid Sussex. 

RoC or to give it it’s full name - Redeeming our Communities - is a national charity founded in 2004 with outlets and partnerships across the UK. The aim of Redeeming our Communities is to be a catalyst for community transformation by promoting partnerships, which open up more opportunities for the reduction of crime and disorder, and enhanced community cohesion.

RoC brings together community groups, churches, the police, the fire service, local authorities and voluntary agencies to encourage them to work together in positive partnerships for practical change. As a result, statutory agencies have improved access to the support of community/church groups, and thousands of volunteers are enabled to better serve the needs of their community.

The audience heard from Debra Green –National Director and Founder of RoC – who recounted some of the positive results RoC had delivered in communities up and down the country. The RoC Café in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester is part of a full-time RoC Centre which hosts a daily Police Surgery with Radcliffe Neighbourhood Policing Team as well as a wide variety of other groups including a community lunch and bingo club, drama academy, Adult Learning Difficulties and Disabilities team and a Youth Church. The RoC Centre has contributed to a reduction in reported anti social behaviour of 51%.

Debra went on to say that RoC, “Encourages people of goodwill to work for safer and kinder communities, as well as developing life skills which empower them to make positive life choices.” 

Deputy Chief Constable Giles York was pleased to lend his support and that of Sussex Police to the event. DCC York said that the police are not always the solution and can sometimes be the problem to resolving community issues. He went on to say that there is a lack of understanding of difference within society, which can lead to suspicion. This is often the case when we hear that individuals feel wary because a group of young people are ‘standing on a street corner.’

DCC York expressed his confidence that with RoC, communities, police and partners working together they could overcome some of the challenges faced by those who are most vulnerable. He concluded by saying that if people see a problem they should talk to someone.    

So following an evening of music, dance, and thought provoking words, energy and support, what next for RoC Burgess Hill?

This was just a taster. Community members were invited to attend one of two RoC Conversations, which is where the real work begins. RoC Conversations encourage local people to get together to identify and solve local problems together. Once the problems are identified a plan of action is drawn up to reduce or resolve the issues.

If you want to be part of the solution why not put one of the RoC Conversations in your diary.

7.30 on 6th March at Gateway Baptist Church, Burgess Hill

7pm on 7th March at Willow Way Community Centre, Hurstpierpoint

For more details call 01444 230830  or e-mail: info@roc-burgesshill.co.uk

Tue 21 Feb 9:44PM

Community resolution offers the chance for children in care to be treated equally.

Following consultation between Sussex Police, The Crown Prosecution Service, Youth Justice Board and Children’s Services a protocol has been agreed for dealing with bad behaviour by children in a ‘care’ setting.

The way in which police deal with incidents and crimes in children’s homes is changing to try and prevent young people being criminalised.
 
Community resolution is one of the practices to be used by Sussex Police along with partners when officers are called to deal with children in care.
 
Children in local authority care have higher average rates of offending than children who are still in the care of their families. Where parents would punish bad behaviour by grounding or stopping pocket money for example, in care homes punishment usually involves the police. Although it may be acting in the best interests of all involved, it is likely to criminalise looked after children when there are other options of dealing with this behaviour.
 
Chief Inspector Ian Pollard said: “One such option is community resolution, the victim-led way of dealing with an offence, which has been used everyday across the county by officers since being launched a year ago.
 
“Community Resolution places the victim very much at the centre of the decision making process. They reflect on the harm caused to them and if they choose, propose outcomes to be completed by the offender to put the harm right. Community Resolution delivers immediate justice for the victim and makes the offender take responsibility and complete reparation for their action.

“It will also help police officers to have more discretion in a situation when called out to a children’s home and as well as giving care workers a greater understanding of what will happen when they call the police and to highlight the different options when dealing with challenging behaviour in young people.”

Wed 1 Feb 10:00AM

Street Watch - Serving Your Community Through Positive Citizenship

Following the successful launch of Street Watch in Littlehampton yesterday I thought I would just post a few words about the scheme.

The concept of Street Watch is that of community minded people serving their community through positive citizenship. Volunteers patrol their local streets in high visibility jackets with the aim of providing reassurance, engaging with community issues and reducing anti-social behaviour.

The schemes are run by coordinators within the community and every volunteer is police checked. Each scheme will have its own single point of contact within the police and officers will link in with Street Watch members regularly to share information on issues such as crime prevention and areas currently experiencing anti-social behaviour.

People patrol in pairs and can check who else is available using an online calendar. Volunteers need to be able to patrol for at least two hours every month. Each member is covered by an insurance policy.

Examples of the work Street Watch members could do include:

Alerting officers to fly tipping.

Contacting the right people to get graffiti removed.

Engaging with groups of young people.

Arranging for supermarket trolleys to be returned to the store.
 

It is non-confrontational and every member has the responsibility to act within the law and has personal accountability for their own actions. PCSOs will sometimes go out on patrol with Street Watch members.

Assistant Chief Constable for Neighbourhood Policing, Robin Merrett said: “It is vital that the police work with their communities and Street Watch is one of the ways that people can get involved in keeping the area they live in a safe place.

“The scheme is already proving successful elsewhere in the country and I am confident we can build upon that good work here in Sussex.

“I believe this new scheme will complement the work already being done by organisations such as Neighbourhood Watch and the Street Pastors and I look forward to being able to update you when we have more information.”

Street Watch is being piloted across the Arun District. It is hoped that following a review of the scheme it can be rolled out across the rest of the county.

More details are on the national website at http://www.street-watch.org.uk

If you wish to learn more about Street Watch in Arun please contact Sergeant Carolyn Kendall on 101 ext 86339 or 07909 687279 or via e-mail at carolyn.kendall@sussex.pnn.police.uk

If you are interested in Street watch outside of the Arun District you can contact me.

Sergeant Peter Allan
Community Engagement Sergeant
West Sussex

Call 101 Ext 81255 or 07867 501150

Peter.allan@sussex.pnn.police.uk

http://www.tumblr.com/blog/peterallan

http://twitter.com/sgtpeterallan

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1364168178

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Street Watch a replacement for Police Officers?

‘Street Watch is not about policing or about replacing police officers. The scheme is about communities re-connecting with the traditional values of good citizenship and community cohesion that have been undermined through a disproportionate fear of crime. Street Watch empowers communities to promote and set their own standards and for residents to reclaim their open spaces and to provide visible reassurance to others. ‘

‘We would all welcome more officers patrolling our streets. However, the reality is that in the near future this is unlikely to happen. To engage in an honest debate with residents and provide options to enter into a new style of partnership with us is in my view a positive approach. Unrealistic expectations and endless debates concerning police officer numbers fails to address immediate community issues and serves only to deteriorate public confidence and increases fear.’


2. Residents pay their taxes, why should they patrol?

‘Any notion that residents pay their taxes and in doing so can absolve themselves of all community responsibility undermines a sense of community cohesion. Community cohesion requires the active engagement by residents to stand up for themselves and make a difference. Street Watch provides this opportunity and is about bringing back confidence and lost values to our neighbourhoods.’


3. It is too dangerous to expect residents to patrol their own streets.

Very few things in life are risk free and patrolling your streets carries an element of risk. Street Watch however minimises any risks through having regulated policies, guidance, operating procedures and risk assessments. 

‘The overriding principle of Street Watch is that it is about engagement and not confrontation. Many people have expressed beliefs that residents would not be able to engage with the more difficult elements within our communities. However, Street Watch members have shown that this can be achieved through appropriate dialogue where the purpose is to build bridges and to be inclusive towards young people with increased understanding on both sides. Many of the hard to reach youngsters are now the strongest advocates of the scheme and their behaviour has improved.’

Street Watch members are adults who understand that they are responsible for their own actions and who have a balanced view of any potential risks. They are willing through personal choice to undertake patrols.

In the UK, 2 million people a year attend hospital with sports related injuries. However, society accepts that taking part in sports is positive for overall health and we accept risks to ourselves and our children. Patrolling our streets is all about maintaining the health of communities and in the same way, risks should be rationalised and reduced.

With a direct reference to civilian patrols, Louise Casey stated in her paper ‘Engaging communities in fighting crime’ that, ‘there needs to be a drive for common sense solutions to prevail, and where there is mythology about ‘political correctness’ or ‘health and safety culture’ it should be challenged or such cases will continue to undermine and deter citizen involvement.’        


4. How does Street Watch reduce Anti-Social Behaviour?

Anti-social behaviour takes hold in areas where communities have lost control of their open spaces, where residents tend to have a disproportionate fear of crime and an overreliance on police. Street Watch encourages residents to be more visible on their streets and to become empowered to take back ownership of their open spaces and to set standards for others.

Youths hang out in an open area causing nuisance. Residents feel intimidated by them and fearful. This further empowers the youths who soon realise that they are not being challenged and become more empowered and bold.

The police are frequently called and often due to other demands, may not be in a position to arrive as promptly as expected. Where the law is not being broken, police have limited powers and end up moving the youths on. The youths return the following night and the residents become more fearful and their confidence in police may reduce.

Street Watch reverses this cycle and empowers communities. Street Watch encourages residents to be visible within their own communities and to patrol their open spaces in pairs. Street Watch is about getting to know the youths and to develop new levels of respect and understanding which in turn reduces the feelings of fear and intimidation. By reclaiming these open spaces a clear message is sent out that the behaviour of others will be monitored and appropriately challenged with new standards set by the community.

The concept of Street Watch aims to unite communities whilst being supported by Police. The persistent nature of the patrols means that those who wish to undermine our communities become disempowered. They no longer have the freedom to behave as they like and quickly decide to moderate their behaviour. The anti-social behaviour in that area stops.

The police cannot solve all our community issues on their own and it is unreasonable to expect that they can. We can all do our bit to empower ourselves, our communities and to bring about sustainable long term benefits.


5. I am concerned that Street Watch is a vigilante group

Nothing is further from the truth. Street Watch is non confrontational and every member has the responsibility to act within the law and has personal accountability for their own actions.

Current members include teachers, nurses, musicians, financial workers, District and Parish Councillors to name a few. The scheme is about good citizenship and taking ownership of your own community. The Street Watch Scheme is fully supported by the Hampshire Constabulary.

Unlike many other voluntary schemes, Street Watch members are police checked.

The Street Watch badge carries the Hampshire Constabulary logo. The Hampshire Constabulary does not support vigilante group.

Street Watch is all about community minded people serving their community through positive citizenship


6. Are Street Watch members insured?

There is both public liability and personal accident / injury insurance covering Street Watch members.

Street Watch members are members of the public walking their streets just like any other member of the public. Like any person, Street Watch members are responsible for your own actions to be lawful, reasonable, proportionate and justified.

Street Watch is run by the community for the community. Street Watch members have no powers other than what is stated in law for any citizen. Street Watch is about promoting the concept of good citizenship. There is no requirement or expectation for individuals to take risks or engage in any exceptional activity. Street Watch members make their own judgements in acting as good citizens. Like any member of the public, Street Watch members have the personal accountability to observe, report or engage in a manner that is lawful and appropriate.


7. Do residents have the skills to patrol their own streets?

If there is to be a shift towards embracing the public as partners, then there has to be associated trust and confidence towards them. Many Street Watch members have expressed views that they are fed up by being ‘treated like children’ by the authorities.

The police employ PCSOs, often as their first job and young in age and life experience. Street Watch members are typically aged between 35 – 75 years of age. All of them carry a wealth of experience from employment, working in the public or private sector in demanding environments and who know their own communities better than most. It is important to recognised that such members of the community, under the guidance of a regulated organisation, are more than capable of applying good citizen ship and patrolling their own streets.


8. What training do Street Watch members receive?

Street Watch is about good community citizenship. At the formation of new schemes, members are given a 1 hr presentation regarding the scheme. It is ensured that members understand their own responsibilities, the guidance and risk assessments. Members sign a document to confirm their understanding. At a second ‘launch’ meeting, the guidance, codes of conduct and potential scenarios are then discussed in an open forum.    

On first patrols, members patrol with police support or with experienced members. The guidance is to patrol during the day and to engage in activity such as leaflet drops. As experience and confidence grows, members then patrol at later times.

Street Watch supports the continued development of members. A standing agenda at every meeting is to discuss patrol experiences and how to deal with scenarios. The emphasis is always on non confrontation.

Street Watch is not about policing. It is about drawing on the wealth of experiences and skills held by residents and applying good citizenship.

Development schemes can be adapted to the different environments and local issues. Street Watch in more demanding areas is likely to need a higher input than rural areas where members may already be very familiar with their communities.

Fri 27 Jan 12:03PM

Community Resolution.......it's not a soft option.

A man who was jailed for assaulting his colleague at their firm’s Christmas party met his victim to apologise.

The Worthing man was sentenced to five months for assaulting his work colleague in Goring following an argument. The victim also from Worthing went to hospital after being kicked and punched in the face and head. He suffered a cut above his eye and a swelling to the face, and underwent a scan.

The 23-year-old victim said: “I came out of hospital but I don’t remember that Christmas at all. I was not good. My partner who was there when I was assaulted was really upset, it really affected her.”

While in prison the offender approached a prison officer and said he wanted to apologise to his victim once he was out and he felt remorseful for his action. He had also been offered his old job back and would be working with him again.

The victim agreed and after three months of preparation between Sussex Police, Lewes Prison, Probation and Sussex Churches, the first level three restorative justice conference for the West Sussex division took place at a vicarage in Ferring. The boss of the company the men worked for also took part in the meeting.

The 28-year-old offender said: “I wanted to write a letter of apology and then I decided to meet the victim face-to-face. I really wanted to shake his hand and say sorry for my actions.

“I was nervous but I got the chance to say sorry to my victim, his partner and my boss. I heard from them about how my actions had affected them. It cleared the air and has helped me to move on. I am working back at the firm and have a family now.

“We don’t see each other much at work but I and my partner and daughter bumped into him and his partner at the Littlehampton bonfire celebrations a couple of months ago and chatted. It has just made the situation less awkward than it would have been. I would recommend this process.”

The victim said: “At first I was reluctant to take part but then I decided I should give it a go. It was worthwhile, although it was probably more benefit for him than it was for me. At least I could tell him how it affected me and my partner. It is a positive form of mediation.”

PC Ian Berryman, integrated offender management officer, who helped organise the conference said: “All those who took part in the process said they were given the chance to speak and be heard. They have achieved closure and can now move on.”

The text above was previously added to the Sussex Police website on 4th January 2012.

As can be from the article, Community Resolution can be a positive experience for not only victims and offenders but others who have been affected by the incident.

The assault took place at a work’s Christmas party and was witnessed by the partner’s of both the victim and offender, colleagues and management.

The conference was carefully planned and managed by trained staff to allow all those who had been affected, to explain the impact the offender’s actions had had.

Christmas was tainted for a number of those involved and their families, including young children.

The victim’s girlfriend was able to look the offender in the eye and tell him what she was feeling as she witnessed her partner on the floor being kicked in the head. 

The conference has allowed the parties to move on in a spirit of better understanding. It has removed the tension from those potentially awkward moments when their paths may cross.

This really does demonstrate restorative practice at its best…..responsibility, reparation and rehabilitation. 

Wed 18 Jan 10:37AM

Community Resolution......it makes sense doesn't it?

It is Thursday 13^th January 2011 and Sussex Police receive a call from a lady in Worthing stating that she had witnessed a youth kick her fence causing it to break. Two officers were duly dispatched and commenced a search with the description they had been given. The officers found a male who fitted the description and arrested a sixteen-year-old local boy, as they had no other way to deal with him.

An hour later after completing the procedures at the custody centre the officers returned to the scene to speak with the lady who had made the original call. One officer completed a statement while the other took photographs and spoke to the neighbours to see if they had witnessed the fence being damaged.

Armed with all their evidence the officers returned to the custody centre where the boy’s mother had just arrived. Following a discussion with the mother the officers were ready to interview their suspect.

Following an initial denial, before being confronted with the evidence the officers had gathered, the boy admitted kicking out at the fence after a row with his older brother. 

After a short period of time in which the officers completed more procedures the inspector formally reprimanded the boy. So after explaining that his fingerprints, photograph and DNA sample would be kept and that the reprimand may be disclosed to a prospective employer the boy left the custody centre with his mum four and a half hours after he had been arrested. The officers returned to the lady to update her that the boy who had damaged her fence had admitted it and had received a reprimand.

As well as having to pay for the fence the lady was left wondering why the boy had singled out her fence to vent his anger on. The officers left to respond to another incident.

How differently the above situation could have been if it had occurred twenty-four hours later.

Friday 14^th January?

What happened on 14^th January?  

Sussex Police introduced Community Resolution as an additional disposal option for officers.

So how could the incident of the damaged fence have been resolved if Community Resolution had been an option?

The officers would still have attended to look for the boy, who the victim had seen damage her fence. Once the boy had been located and detained, one of the officers went to speak to the victim who was updated that a boy fitting the description she had given had been located and was with the other officer.

The victim was told that the decision on any action to be taken against the boy was hers. The officer had just completed her Community Resolution training the day before and she explained what that entailed.

The victim did not want to criminalise the boy, especially as he had admitted the damage and seemed genuinely remorseful. She did however want him to explain to her why he had done it and to apologise. She also felt that the message of the whole incident would be more meaningful for the boy if he agreed to pay for the damaged fence to be replaced and undertake two hours of unpaid work in her garden. The officer explained that if the boy refused to agree to the outcomes suggested by the lady or did not complete them to her satisfaction that he would be subject to other more formal sanctions that the criminal justice system offered.

The boy agreed and apologised to the lady straight away. He told her how he had had a row with his brother and that he was really very sorry. He agreed to undertake the work and pay for the damaged fence to be replaced. While he was completing the work in her garden the following week, the boy was telling the lady how he was interested in history and was studying the Second World War at school. The lady went into the house and returned with some photographs of her late husband who had served in the RAF during the war.

Now let’s compare the two outcomes…..

The incident on the 13^th January left the lady paying for her fence to be repaired wondering why it had been singled out for such aggression. And what use was a reprimand to her? As for the boy, he was unsure whether he would be able to join the army after he left school, as he would have to disclose the reprimand. His mum was not very pleased either, having spent two hours at the custody centre.

The incident depicted here is fictional and has been written purely to illustrate the workings of Community Resolution from the perspective of the victim, offender and officer.

Community Resolution has been successfully used in 4,182 offences since its introduction on 14th January 2011. 

Sat 14 Jan 10:23PM

Your chance to tell me whether information about policing raises the fear of crime or reassures you?

For those who have been following my blog and video posts, you may recall my article from 17th December, discussing whether the reporting of crimes raised the fear of crime or reassured. Well I’ve added a couple of videos since then and have another to upload from a newspaper editor. In the meantime I’d be grateful if you could take the time to complete this short survey. 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YYSTZYW

Thanks in anticipation. 

Thu 5 Jan 10:51PM

Lots achieved in 2011 but many challenges ahead in 2012

My plan was that this piece would complement the video blog I recorded and ‘posted’ on Friday, but alas that was not to be because it was too big to upload. I had another go and after many many takes I recorded a shorter message on New Year’s Eve. It is still uploading now. I’m hoping to be able to post it before I post next year’s New Year message. So at the moment I’m resorting to some old technology – a written blog. 

So what does the video blog have in store for you when it eventually loads?

The theme of my message was as the title suggests, reflecting on some of the achievements of 2011 whilst looking forward to the many challenges that 2012 will bring.

April 2011 was a busy month with the creation, after months of work of the new West Sussex Division, following the merger between West Downs and North Downs Divisions. With a resident population of 800,000 over an area of 769,000 square miles, the 1380 police officers and staff have a challenging job in a division, which is larger than sixteen police forces. Officers and staff deal with 260,000 calls a year and 46,000 crimes.

April also saw the introduction of Response Investigation Teams (RITs). The role of the officers and staff of the RITs is to take ownership of investigations from first responders allowing them to quickly return to the streets to respond to your emergency calls. The RITs are given time to gather best evidence, hold offenders to account and deliver a first class service to victims.

The victim was also very much the focus when we introduced a Community Resolution – Sussex Police’s practical application of Restorative Justice – as an additional disposal option for officers back in January.

Community Resolution places the victim very much at the centre of the decision making process. They reflect on the harm caused to them and if they choose, propose outcomes to be completed by the offender to put the harm right. Community Resolution delivers immediate justice for the victim and makes the offender take responsibility and complete reparation for their actions before reintegrating them back into society.

Although we will be completing a full review into Community Resolution in the early part of 2012, we have already seen that it has been a popular addition to policing. With just over 4000 cases resolved by Community Resolution since January our evidence shows that victims like being in the driving seat, able to decide how any offender should be dealt with. You may be surprised to learn that lots of people do not want to criminalise those who have harmed them but want them to acknowledge their wrongdoing and to complete some activity to put it right. Officers like it because it gives them the discretion to be able to deal with relevant offences and offenders in a more practical way. Offenders are grateful for the opportunity to be able to reflect on their actions and the affect it had on victims and being able to repair the harm without formal criminal sanction. As we approach the year anniversary – 14^th January – since the introduction of Community Resolution I will be featuring some stories of its successes within my blogs.   

The harm caused to victims also featured in work that was ongoing throughout 2011 to better identify, risk assess and manage ongoing cases of anti-social behaviour, especially where it involved repeat or vulnerable victims. This work is very much the focus for our Neighbourhood Policing Teams who work with victims, colleagues and partners to accurately assess the risk and work to remove or at the very least minimise it. The high-risk cases are managed on a daily basis at a West Sussex level enabling senior managers to be assured that everything that should be being done is, and if additional resources are required, directing them appropriately. This has now become firmly embedded into daily business. 

There are occasions where partners are better placed to take appropriate action to protect victims and hold perpetrators to account and it is with this in mind that I have invested a significant amount of time in the latter half of the year to ensuring our information sharing processes with partners are robust enough to comply with the law and to protect individuals’ personal information but balanced against a need to share information in a responsible and proportionate way allowing partners to act in the interests of victims.

Street Pastor type initiatives within the nighttime economy have developed both in number and acceptance as a neutral and reassuring presence in local communities, helping and caring for people in practical ways. Chichester’s own Chi City Angels hit the streets in early December and Mid Sussex are due to launch schemes in early 2012. These schemes are in addition to already established Street Pastor schemes in Worthing and Crawley and Arun Angels in Bognor. There are other community based initiatives where local people take on the role of active citizens who sowed the seeds of engagement in late 2011 – Redeeming our Communities (ROC) and Street Watch. 2012 will see them develop and spread across West Sussex and beyond.

So there was a lot going on in 2011. Well I can tell you that 2012 will be equally if not more challenging as we continue to navigate through uncertain financial waters and play our part in national events to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, welcome the Olympic torch to Sussex and assist in the policing operation for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We will also be focussing on issues closer to home.

January marks the start of a year long campaign focussing on the customer experience. Whilst we have seen satisfaction levels rise across West Sussex we still fail to keep victims updated sufficiently well with ongoing investigations. We need to better manage expectations and deliver on public service commitments that we make.

2012 will see the model used so successfully to identify, risk assess and manage cases of ongoing anti-social behaviour being used in the same way for victims of hate incidents. Those who are targeted for nothing other than a personal characteristic or perceived characteristic, be it  disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender or other difference will receive a more joined up process that sends a strong message of support to victims and an equally strong message that such behaviour is totally unacceptable to offenders.

Along with our partners we will be focussing on the ‘most deprived areas’of West Sussex because analysis shows that these communities are most likely to suffer from high crime or anti-social behaviour. Divisional resources, in particular Neighbourhood Policing Teams, will be focussing their work in these locations.

Focussing on ‘human trafficking’ – an often hidden and not well recognised crime -will help us identify victims of exploitation in our neighbourhoods. It is an important area that we need to raise awareness of because we have a limited understanding of the extent of this area of criminality. One of our priorities will be to identify the extent of sexual and labour exploitation within neighbourhoods.

Reducing crime still remains a focus for us during 2012. Whilst we have seen good reductions in criminal damage and some areas of violent crime, we need to focus more on acquisitive crime, especially burglaries of premises other than dwellings and vehicle crime.

I would like to finish by wishing each any every one of you a happy, safe and prosperous 2012. Please be assured that although external factors influence what we do that we will continue to work tirelessly to make West Sussex a safe place in which to live, work and visit. If you wish to discuss concerns, learn more about policing in your area or how you can play a part in reducing crime, disorder and the fear of them,  please contact your Neighbourhood Policing Team by contacting us on 101 or visiting www.sussex.police.uk

Mon 2 Jan 3:04PM

How good are we at publicising our successes?

PC Nathan Taylor is a constable on a response team based at Bognor Regis. Along with his team colleagues his primary role is to respond to emergency calls from the public. This leads to officers dealing with a wide range of incidents from domestic violence, road traffic collisions, public place violence, a range of theft offences, dispute resolution and missing people to name a few.  

Inevitably some results are more rewarding than others - arresting an individual who has been wanted for offences against a number of victims, uncovering large quantities of stolen property, illegal drugs or cash of questionable origins or catching a suspect after a foot or vehicle follow. There are also instances where police action has reassured or protected a vulnerable victim.  

It is my belief that publicising such positive results does increase trust and confidence in policing by communities as well as reducing the fear of crime.

As can be seen from Nathan’s Vlog there is a desire to provide that information, but that is not always matched with knowledge or confidence. I hope through this series of written and video blog posts to start to turn that corner and encourage and support colleagues to be proud of the work they do, to see how it can change people’s view of crime and policing and to actively promote the many positive results they achieve to local communities.

Thanks Nathan.    

Mon 19 Dec 7:37PM

Does information about policing raise the fear of crime or reassure you?

In my last blog I talked about how keeping people updated and managing their expectations can increase trust and confidence, which in turn will make them more likely to assist the police in the future, by either reporting a crime or incident or providing a written statement of what they have witnessed.

Communities also base trust and confidence on levels of crime and anti social behaviour and how successful the authorities are at reducing them and holding those responsible to account.

As with the examples above, information is a key driver in relation to satisfaction, trust and confidence.

But is the information you are given that which you feel the police should be releasing?

Is it about the right things?

Is it presented via the most appropriate medium?

And when we’ve done that, does it raise your fear of crime or reassure you?

Last week was a hectic news week across West Sussex with stories covering:

•  Cannabis factory found in Arun
•  Arrest following a robbery at Curry’s in Worthing
•  Appeal for missing Burgess Hill man
• Witness sought for an assault at a pub in Worthing
• Pedestrians die on West Sussex roads
• Man robbed in Tilgate Park, Crawley
• Distraction burglary in Chichester
• 65yrs in prison for drugs gang centring on Crawley
• Neighbourhood Policing Teams hand over cash grants to community groups

How do these stories make you feel?

Would it have been better to have not mentioned them at all - what we don’t know can’t hurt us?

Hundreds of things happen within the police each day - from delivering school lessons to chatting to people at fetes to problem solving anti social behaviour to violent crime. We want to be as open and transparent as possible and provide you with the information you want - but what do you want to know?

Understanding what the public want to know is only part of the story.

How do our staff feel about providing you with the information you want?   

I’ve heard comments from colleagues such as:

“They’ll twist my words and print something I never said.”

“ Will the bosses support me if I say something wrong?”

“It’s not my job to talk to the press.”

Over the next few weeks I will be speaking to members of the public to explore the issues raised in this article with the aim of supporting districts to deliver the information you want. I will talk to colleagues about their views on providing information to communities, especially via the media; to members of the media about their desire to report what the police are doing to reduce crime and disorder and respond to calls from the public; to senior members of Sussex Police about the importance they attach to informing communities about what we are doing to keep them safe and the trust they place in staff to communicate that message.

Please let me know what you think about issues raised in this article and whether you know enough of the activities of Sussex Police.   

Sat 17 Dec 10:13PM

It doesn’t take much…………………but the benefits are huge.

We pride ourselves on having a policing model that polices by consent……

It’s one of the original fundamental concepts of policing formed by Sir Robert Peel. It essentially means the police can only operate with the support of the public.

What does it mean to me? I think it means that the police have to engage the public, listen to their concerns and be part of the solution along with those communities and the increasing number of partners with whom we work. The police need to be accountable and transparent, and be intelligence led, but most importantly we need to focus on the needs and wishes of victims and witnesses without whom we could not do our job. 

If we deliver against these principles we will find our part in the process – reducing crime, gathering evidence and holding offenders to account – much easier. Victims and witnesses will have trust and confidence in policing and feel more willing to report crimes and anti social behaviour. They will know who to and how to report it. They will feel confident to provide their evidence knowing that they will be updated and supported throughout the journey of the investigation and criminal justice processes, however long that may be.

I think that last sentence is very relevant. Some investigations progress no further than the initial telephone call to our contact centre. Some investigations can go on for many months and beyond.

It might surprise you to know that it is not a prerequisite to ‘satisfaction’ levels that we must solve the crime, reduce the anti social behaviour or hold the offender to account.         

We have officers and staff working in PCC, NRT, RIT, NPT, CID, APT, CPT, C&JD, PCW, DIU etc etc…….what do they all mean? I don’t think it matters.

It is my belief that people who call on us for help want to know how to contact us depending on the nature of their enquiry, what level of response they can expect from us and when and what will we do next and how/when will we update them with progress.

Is it really too much to ask? Of course not.

So why do we still find ourselves at the receiving end of complaints from victims and witnesses?

“I just want to know what’s going on.”

“Have you arrested him yet?.”

“So when can I have my property back?”

“The officer said they would call to take my statement yesterday.”

“I told you who it is on a number of occasions but you still haven’t done anything.”

We are doing better in the areas of ‘satisfaction’ when it comes to the overall experience of dealing with Sussex Police and the area of vehicle crime. Where we still have some work to do is around the area of keeping people updated. It doesn’t take much…………………but the benefits are huge.

West Sussex Division is working really hard to understand where we are failing to deliver against what seem basic customer service principles. Following our internal restructure around response and response investigations, we need to understand our new processes so that we can translate them to you, thereby managing your expectations whilst increasing trust and confidence.

We are embarking on a 12-month campaign to understand the ‘customer journey’ so that we can deliver a better service based on – the most appropriate response to the call, understanding and then managing expectations and agreeing how/when we will update you.

We will not get it right every time. When we don’t, challenge us. I am really positive about this piece of work and am actively playing my part in supporting Districts to deliver a better policing service.

It really doesn’t take much…………………but the benefits are huge.

Sun 27 Nov 1:19PM

Communities reconnecting with the values of Good Citizenship.

As can be seen from my three most recent Vlogs, I was in Littlehampton on Tuesday evening (8^th) to attend a Street Watch briefing. I must admit I was a little nervous about the numbers. Would David Bridges (National Street Watch Coordinator) be speaking to three or four people or would the numbers be such that the conference room was too small?

As it happens twenty-three people from the communities of east Arun were there. It was a bit of a rocky start after a miscommunication over the start time. However we got under way with David Bridges, supported by his wife Joan explaining a bit about the origins of Street Watch and how it had developed within east Hampshire where it started over four years ago.

David is very passionate about Street Watch and how it has really grown to be an integral part of the community of Petersfield, where I had previously met both David and Joan before going out ‘on patrol’ in the early summer. 

On occasions David’s passion had to be brought back to the realities of where Arun currently are; an interested community keen to know how it all works.

Between David, the Arun lead, Sgt Carolyn Kendall and myself I think we gave the assembled gathering a good taste of what Street Watch is all about, how they fit in and the real benefits that can be achieved.

At the end of the evening ten people signed up, with the others taking their forms away with them. David, Carolyn and I got together at the end and all agreed that the evening had been a success.

Now the hard work starts… forming the individual schemes, arranging the insurance cover, ordering the fluorescent jackets and ensuring members are fully briefed on the constitution, working practices and scheme administration. 

I’ll keep in touch with the progress of Street Watch across Arun and will no doubt write about it here in the future. If this pilot is a success I envisage schemes starting up that will cover all the districts of Sussex.

So what is Street Watch?

Street Watch is not about policing or about replacing police officers. The scheme is about communities re-connecting with the traditional values of good citizenship and community cohesion that have been undermined through a disproportionate fear of crime. Street Watch empowers communities to promote and set their own standards and for residents to reclaim their open spaces and to provide visible reassurance to others. Volunteers ‘patrol’ in pairs and report on graffiti, anti social behaviour or other damage, disorder or criminal activity – as citizens – as well as providing reassurance to their communities that the perception of crime and disorder is not as bad as feared.

The overriding principle of Street Watch is that it is about engagement and not confrontation. Many people have expressed beliefs that residents would not be able to engage with the more difficult elements within our communities. However, Street Watch members have shown that this can be achieved through appropriate dialogue where the purpose is to build bridges and to be inclusive towards young people with increased understanding on both sides.

If you live in the Arun District and wish to become involved or to learn more about Street Watch, you can do so by contacting Sgt Carolyn Kendall, by either calling her on 101 extension 86339 or e-mail at Carolyn.kendall@sussex.pnn.police.uk

If you do not live in Arun but wish to know more, you can contact me by calling 101 extension 81255 or e-mail at peter.allan@sussex.pnn.police.uk

Alternatively you can visit the Street Watch website at http://www.street-watch.org.uk/

Sun 13 Nov 9:25PM