Crime in Sussex 'back at pre-pandemic levels'
Sussex Police's Chief Constable says proactive policing remains their focus
Crime levels in Sussex have returned to the levels they were at prior to the start of the coronavirus lockdown.
That is according to the Chief Constable of Sussex Police, who has said that officers are now dealing with the full range of crimes they would normally expect to see, along with offences linked to the pandemic.
Some crimes, including drug trafficking and possession and public order offences, have increased since March, according to crime patterns.
Other crimes have also now returned to pre-Covid levels.
In a statement, Jo Shiner has thanked local communities for their perseverance and said that the force would remain focused on daily policing 'where police resources will have the most impact'.
Jo Shiner said the focus remains on daily policing, assessing where police resources will have the most impact and continuing to proactively disrupt criminal activity.
“Levels of crime are back to where they were before Covid but our officers are out there making sure we are tackling those everyday incidents that impact the most on our communities,” she said.
“We want to catch criminals, and bring to justice those who bring harm and fear into our communities. We will continue to do that, and we have dedicated enforcement teams within the force to support that work.
“Our proactive police teams have been responsible for dismantling five county drugs lines in the past two months, working hard to address the organised criminal activity that is associated with acquisitive and violent crime in our local communities.
“Covid has not impacted on our policing resources and we will continue to assess everything on its merits and focus our resources appropriately.”
The Chief Constable is also urging victims of domestic violence to come forward, safe in the knowledge that additional measures have been put in place to ensure they can access help quickly and discretely.
This includes raising awareness of the support services available to victims through enhanced messaging on social media, the Sussex Police website, in newspaper adverts and through community engagement in essential locations such as supermarkets, to reach out to those not online.
Sussex Police also has a 30-strong Local Resolution Team of specially-trained officers who are dedicated to dealing with reports of domestic abuse which are not immediately urgent.
The team, which launched in March, offers a special video appointment service that can be used when conversations can’t take place face-to-face for any reason, particularly during lockdown.
When it comes to policing the pandemic itself, the force’s approach has not changed and officers continue to follow the four Es approach – engaging, explaining, encouraging and only as a last resort, enforcing.
CC Shiner added: “Lockdown two feels different to lockdown one, there are more exemptions and less noticeable changes in crime patterns. However, our policing approach remains the same.
“Where we need to, and where engagement has not been successful, we will enforce. We have issued fines – one £10,000 to the organiser of a house party on Halloween, and two people have been summonsed to court in relation to other breaches.
“What we will absolutely not tolerate is attacks on our officers and frontline workers which, disappointingly, haven’t diminished.
“We know people have a range of different views on Covid and on this lockdown, and we respect that. However, we continue to ask people to take personal responsibility for their actions and to follow the government’s restrictions.
“It’s a complex situation, both for individuals and for organisations, and our aim is to work with our communities in Sussex to find our way through this together.
“Thank you for your support, and please continue to keep reporting information to us so we can direct our resources to where they are needed the most.”