Sussex officers go above and beyond for national action week

As part of a nationwide dedicated week of action, Sussex Police Neighbourhood Policing Teams have been working hard to keep our communities safe.

Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action took place between 22 and 28 January.

In Sussex, officers used the week of action as an opportunity to build on the work they do 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - engaging with the public, deterring and identifying crime, and taking action against issues affecting the lives of people living and working in our districts.

We have rounded up some of the highlights across the divisions.

 

BRIGHTON AND HOVE

The week began with patrols throughout the Coldean and Stanmer wards in Brighton.

PCSO Daubeney dedicated the day to being present in the area, actively engaging with local residents.
He addressed questions relating to public safety and listened to any concerns, providing guidance and help where needed.

Children were visited at a Brighton primary school by PC Linford-Jones and PC Barron to help raise awareness of policing in the community.

The young students were introduced to the role of a police officer and educated on how to contact the police in case they need assistance.

They were encouraged to share any concerns they might have, and had their questions answered.

Following this, they had the opportunity to explore a police car and witness a demonstration of tools used in emergency situations, such as during a road closure.

Further patrols were conducted throughout Brighton and Hove during the week of action, including around Brighton town centre.

PCSO Browning and PCSO Scovell were out in Queens Road speaking with the public and visiting businesses to discuss business-related crime.

They provided guidance on reporting any concerns in the area or instances of criminal activity to help enhance safety in the community.

The week concluded with PC Penrose and PCSO Winter from the Brighton Youth Team engaging with students during a fresher’s fair at a local college.

Their discussions centred around important topics like exploitation, knife crime, and serious violence.

They made sure to provide information about support services available to those affected by these crimes, aiming to raise awareness and empower students to be informed and vigilant members of the community. 

 

EAST SUSSEX

Last week, Hastings’ Neighbourhood Policing Team launched two new operations in the town, aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) and drug-related crime.

Operation Baird, covering the Brendon Rise and Broomsgrove Estate area, looks to deal with the theft and illegal use of motorcycles, drug use and supply, exploitation of young people into organised crime groups, and cuckooing. Meanwhile in the town centre, Operation Castle focusses on addressing shoplifting and business burglary.

The operations are three-fold, consisting of dedicated Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) and Police Constable (PC) foot patrols, operational activity such as warrants and cuckooing checks, and long-term regeneration work with partners.

On Tuesday 23 January, officers conducted eight simultaneous warrants in the Brendon Rise area to tackle an identified county drug line linked to significant harm and related ASB.

Officers made six arrests in relation to the supply of drugs, assault, cuckooing, and modern-day slavery offences, and seized over £15,000 of cash, two gas powered firearms, and a significant quantity of uncut cocaine and heroin. Three dogs were also seized under the dangerous dogs act and are being housed in a secure kennelling facility.

For more information on Op Baird, Op Castle, and our ongoing partnership work, read here. 

Eastbourne welcomed the Night Safety Marshals on Friday, 26 January, a new team that work with police and partners to help keep people safe while on a night out.

The marshals are highly trained in identifying and helping vulnerable people and provide an extra level of support on top of the work already being done by Sussex Police and partner agencies in the night-time economy.

From 8pm to 4am on Friday and Saturday nights, the marshals patrol areas of Eastbourne town centre, providing support to police and key partners such as Street Pastors, Security Industry Authority (SIA) door staff at licensed premises, and members of the Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP).

These initiatives complement the work that neighbourhood policing teams carry out every single day of the year.

On Monday 22 January, officers were called to a report of suspected cuckooing in Hailsham.

A search of the property found Class A and B drugs, weapons including a machete and sword, cash, and drug paraphernalia.

A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and has been released on bail whilst the investigation continues.

Officers continue to complete cuckooing checks and specialist officers will continue to support the victim.

Whilst on plain-clothed patrol on Thursday 25 January in Eastbourne, neighbourhood enforcement officers (NET) witnessed a suspected drug deal.

Working with the NET officers, local police officers arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. A search of his property found Class A drugs, a knife, and drug paraphernalia.

He has been released on bail whilst enquiries continue.

These arrests were in addition to a wide range of engagement activity and community policing across the division.

Neighbourhood police officers visited schools, religious groups, care homes, charities, community meetings with local partners, and more, to provide education and updates on local activity, and listen to any concerns.

Officers responded to reports of ASB, fraud, dangerous driving, and theft, amongst others – each day is different.

 

WEST SUSSEX

Officers from West Sussex Neighbourhood Policing Teams have been stepping up their patrols, and engagement events across the county.

There have been a number of partnership activities at the engagement pod in Crawley, fraud and scam events at banks across the county, street briefings as well as high visibility patrols in hotspot areas.

More than 150 parents of a Worthing school were given advice and information by Sussex Police, social care, youth justice, Audio Active and more partners on how to keep their children safe.

Two road safety days to combat speed and car safety checks in Worthing and Horsham respectively were also carried out. Nine vehicles were stopped and advice was given as part of Operation Downsway, a force scheme for road safety.

A prolific shoplifter was also sentenced for eight separate incidents in a four-month period.

Officers who were on patrol for Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action on 24 January at around 1pm spotted Duncan Campbell, of Glamis Street, Bognor who had just stolen from One Stop in Durlston Drive, Bersted.

He was arrested and charged for this incident and seven others.

The other stores in Bognor he targeted were M&S, Tesco Express, Boots, Poundland, The Food Warehouse, Savers and Aldi.

Campbell was sentenced to a 12 months Community Order, 10 days rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR), six months drink and drug rehabilitation and was ordered to pay compensation to the stores he stole from.

A property In Hassocks has been temporarily shut down under a closure order as part of the week of action.

The order, under the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, was granted at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 23 January following evidence of individuals taking advantage of the vulnerable resident.

Drug misuse at the property and anti-social behaviour had been reported by other residents, with incidents in the village being linked to this address.

In Worthing, welfare checks were carried out to the homeless community, plain clothes patrols for moped thefts, 16 schools were visited and more than 1,000 people were engaged with throughout the week.

Three teenagers were also arrested and charged with a combined 23 offences across Worthing.

• A 14-year-old girl from Lancing was arrested and charged for a total of eight shoplifting offences for incidents between 31 July and 20 December. She is due to appear at Worthing Youth Court on 7 March.
• A 15-year-old girl from Worthing was arrested and charged with a total of eight shoplifting offences for incidents between 15 October and 24 October. She is due to appear at Worthing Youth Court on 7 March.
• A 16-year-old girl from Worthing was arrested and charged with a total of seven shoplifting offences for incidents between 27 September and 12 December. She appeared before Worthing Youth Court on 24 January and was sentenced. She was handed a 12 month Youth Rehabilitation Order and a 12 month Criminal Behaviour Order.

Officers in Crawley made use of the engagement pod and Stronger, Safer, Crawley as they hosted a partnership day alongside Trading Standards, HM Revenue & Customs, SEROCU and Crawley Borough Council.

This covered a day of searching for counterfeit and illegal tobacco and vape products from several stores in the town centre.  

Thousands of pounds worth of cigarettes and vapes were confiscated.

This included goods which were suspected of being fraudulent, illegally imported and addressed health and safety issues,

The week of action is an additional focus on top of the work which is carried out every day of the week across the force.

Superintendent Nick Dias said: “The Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action has been a real success. With partners, we have engaged with thousands of people and our officers have gone above and beyond to protect their communities.

“Not only in West Sussex, but across the entire force, Neighbourhood Policing Teams have come together to ensure they made a difference.”

Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “The Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action shines a light on the vast range of visible operational activity undertaken by Sussex Police, 24 hours a day throughout the year.

"The successful results delivered by the neighbourhood policing teams show just how committed Sussex Police is to tackling the local crimes that matter to residents, like antisocial behaviour and shoplifting, and delivering results to make our streets visibly safer and instil greater public confidence.”