ONE of the reasons for the introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) back in 2012 was to bring more robust, local accountability and better governance into policing.
PCCs were elected to be your voice in policing and in Sussex, I take this very seriously. We were one of the first force areas to introduce live, webcast Performance and Accountability Meetings (PAMs). During these monthly live-streamed scrutiny meetings, I put the publics’ concerns directly to the Chief Constable and her senior team.
I monitor every aspect of policing in Sussex – from police officer recruitment progress, tackling rural and retail crime, road safety initiatives (like our recently launched Fatal Five unit) and the impact of government funding changes. In April this year, I conducted my 135th PAM and you can watch them all in the archive at https://www.sussex-pcc.gov.uk/about/how-we-work/watch-live/
PCCs also have two other key responsibilities – working with all our community safety partners at a local and national level and providing quality-assured, specialist services for victims and witnesses of crime.
The first is addressed by my Partnerships Team who ensure that priorities from my Police and Crime Plan are translated in the activities of all the various agencies who work in this field, including those I provide funding to.
For nearly 14 years, the Partnerships Team has consistently worked hard to attract and secure millions of pounds of extra Home Office investment into Sussex for community safety work, over and above our core police budget.
More recently, the team have supported three coastal areas – Eastbourne, Hastings and Rother – to secure Neighbourhood Board funding to deliver £20 million in local investment over ten years.
They have also successfully implemented the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Case Review appeal process, supporting victims and partners to effectively tackle persistent ASB. The ASB Case Review (formerly Community Trigger) empowers repeat victims of antisocial behaviour to ask for a review of the actions that partner agencies have taken, to resolve their concerns. To be eligible, you need to have experienced and reported three separate ASB incidents in the last six months. You can find out more on my website: https://www.sussex-pcc.gov.uk/pcc-priorities/partnership-working/asb-case-review/
All road users in Sussex will be pleased to hear that my Partnerships Team were central to delivering my manifesto promise to provide a Fatal Five Traffic Policing Unit into Sussex Police. The unit is focused on targeting people driving anti-socially, including those speeding as well as persistent offenders. So far, they have issued 327 traffic offence reports and fixed penalty notices and made 37 arrests. They are also providing education and supporting our “Vision Zero” ambition: that no death or serious injury on our roads is acceptable. You can read more about the Fatal Five Unit here: https://www.sussex.police.uk/news/sussex/news/force-news/new-fatal-five-unit-launched-to-save-lives-on-sussex-roads/
The Partnerships Team is also responsible for allocating funding to community groups from my Safer in Sussex Fund. So far, I’ve invested over £2.3 million into more than 600 local initiatives to reduce crime across Sussex.
The second of my PCC responsibilities falls to my Victims’ Services Team who suggested two areas for this month’s column: The Victims Code and our Safe Spaces Scheme.
The Victims’ Code explains the rights that everyone can expect to receive as a victim of crime. Whoever you are and whatever the crime, you have the right to be informed about the criminal justice process and the support available.
As your PCC, I have a statutory responsibility to provide victim support services (Right 4 in the Victims Code).
Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, I allocated £5.5 million to local victim support services and I have committed to providing a similar level of funding for the next 12 months. As a victim of crime, you have the right to access these services whether or not you reported to police, and you can find all support services available to you on my Safe Space Sussex website: https://www.safespacesussex.org.uk/
Finally, our Safe Space Sussex Scheme is a county-wide initiative bringing together a carefully selected network of locations offering a Safe Space for people to go if they feel unsafe, scared, threatened or at risk of harm, whilst out in public. The purpose of the scheme is to provide a space and facilities where people can seek help, make a ‘phone call or simply wait in a safe environment until they feel comfortable to continue their day.
Safe Spaces include businesses, organisations, community spaces and various other publicly accessible, eligible venues. Premises that have signed up have done so voluntarily and been assessed as suitable premises. They can provide individuals with access to a private or quiet area, access to a ‘phone, a toilet and drinking water, whilst using the space.
You can find the nearest Safe Space to you on our Safe Space Sussex website: https://www.safespacesussex.org.uk/safe-space-scheme/ by using the devices’ location or entering a postcode. If you know of a business, organisation or community space that may be interested in becoming a Safe Space, please direct them to the website.
