Home Secretary visits Sussex Police to discuss crime reduction success

Sussex Police welcomed the Home Secretary to Brighton on Thursday (9 February) to discuss recent successes in tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) and serious violence.

Suella Braverman was met by senior leaders including Chief Constable Jo Shiner and PCC Katy Bourne for a presentation on how data-led, hotspot policing and partner working has brought some significant successes.

Innovative data analytics techniques allow the police to spot patterns, identify risks and serial offenders, and target resources more effectively and efficiently.

Allied with ongoing community engagement, it enables Sussex Police and its partners to develop a picture of the specific issues affecting neighbourhoods in the county.

Not all problems can be solved by policing, which is why a holistic, partnership approach is needed to make sure the steps we take address the root issues.

Anti-social behaviour and serious violence are tied to a range of social and environmental factors, such as overgrown public areas, inadequate street lighting and drug and alcohol-related behaviour.

Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: “Protecting our communities takes teamwork.

“Central to that is understanding the issues that affect the people of Sussex every day, and the areas where we can have the greatest impact.

“By targeting our resources more effectively, alongside our partners, we can continue to bring about real change in our communities and help keep Sussex a safe place to live, work and visit.”

Case study – The Level, Brighton

Sussex Police and its partners adopted a holistic approach after The Level in Brighton was identified as an area of concern. Twelve months on, ASB reports are down by 55% and overall crime has fallen by 28%.

StreetSafe data showed people felt unsafe at The Level.

The park and wider community were affected by drug and alcohol-related incidents; graffiti and criminal damage was prevalent; youth-related violence and ASB was regularly reported and serious violence was a concern.

Police and partners identified a range of contributing factors, including a lack of suitable CCTV, poor lighting, overgrown vegetation, vacant premises and social issues among the local community.

In response, we opened an engagement hub in a council building to provide a reassuring presence and clear point of contact. High-visibility foot patrols were also increased, led by data to target them at the most effective times and locations.

We worked with the council to improve CCTV and add additional street lighting, while the council’s teams cleaned up the graffiti and trimmed the vegetation.

Community partners also took part in a number of outreach and social projects to tackle the issues that underpin anti-social and violent behaviour.

The results have been extremely positive. Some highlights from 2021 to 2022 include:

• 28% decrease in overall crime
• 31% decrease in reported incidents
• 55% decrease in ASB nuisance
• 34% decrease in violent crime
• 93% more crimes discovered by officers
• 75% decrease in sexual offences

Going forward, daily patrols will continue and the community, partner engagement will expand to ensure The Level remains a cornerstone of Brighton and Hove for years to come.

The Level is just one example of targeted and evidence based policing.

We have also introduced Night Safety Marshals in key areas of the night-time economy to reduce vulnerability and violence; knife sweeps and extra patrols are carried out at areas associated with serious violence and targeted patrols aimed at reducing violence against women and girls are a daily occurrence across the county.

From April to December, 2022, police data for serious violence hotspots shows total crime is down by 11% on pre-pandemic levels, with a 38.7% reduction in robbery, 24.4% reduction in knife crime and 33.7% fall in the cost of crime, saving over £5million.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “Sussex Police deserve enormous credit for their imagination, perseverance and professionalism in reducing anti-social behaviour by more than 50% and restoring local pride and confidence in The Level.

“We do have to use our resources effectively so, making best use of data to drive policing patrols and activity, is the way forward.  The transformation of The Level could not have been achieved without the collaboration of the local authority, buy-in from local people and support from outreach workers and youth groups.

“I’m pleased to see that the funding I have secured from the Home Office over the past two years has made such a positive impact in Brighton and other town centres. The Night Safety Marshals in the city centre are providing a reassuring and valuable presence, making it safer in particular for women and girls to visit.

“I want to thank Chief Constable Shiner’s team for their impressive results and the Home Secretary for visiting us today.  I know she was delighted to meet some of our new recruits, funded by the Government’s Uplift programme, who are already playing their part in tackling anti-social behaviour and making the city safer.”