Agenda item

The Effectiveness inspection is an annual inspection of Sussex Police as part

of HMIC’s Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) programme.

The attached report provides the outcome of the annual inspection published

on 2 March 2017 and the response of the Commissioner.

The Panel is asked to consider the report and the endorsement of the

Group’s recommendations

106.  The Panel received the report by the Police and Crime Commissioner providing the outcome of the annual inspection published on 2 March 2017 and the response of the Commissioner. Mark Streater, Chief Executive of the OSPCC, introduced the report and explained that it outline the state of policing at the end of the year.

107.   The Panel made the points below in the discussion that followed:

• The panel expressed disappointment at the ‘requires improvement’

judgement in relation to effectiveness. The panel felt that the effectiveness

report reiterated their concerns around neighbourhood policing and victim

vulnerability. The Commissioner shared the Panels’ disappointment in the

‘requires improvement’ judgment but informed the meeting that Sussex

Police had seen a reduction in anti-social behaviour (15%) and serious and

organised crime in the last year. The inspection had taken place during a

time of unprecedented change and many officers did not understand the new

operating models as these were being implemented in stages. There was a

need to modernise local neighbourhood policing to meet differing demands.

The judgment was borderline between ‘good’ and ‘requires improvement’.

The Commissioner was confident that improvements would be seen by the

next inspection.

• The Panel highlighted that local policing was an issue that was raised at

many meetings they attended. The Panel did not feel that residents were

convinced by the new policing model. The Commissioner acknowledged that

there was a challenge for Sussex Police to communicate with their local

communities successfully. Sussex Police have carried out research to get

feedback from residents by setting up an online panel relating to local

policing issues.

• The Panel noted that the report referred to the impact changes to the

neighbourhood policing teams were having on rural crime. Crimes such as

the theft of oil and diesel, had a significant impact on small and medium

enterprises. The Panel questioned what the Commissioner was doing policy

wise? The Commissioner responded that she had challenged the Chief

Constable about Sussex Police’s support to rural communities at her

Performance and Accountability meeting on 24 February 2017. Assurances

were sought that the same level of service would be provided by the local

policing program including prevention work by PCSO’s, PC’s and partners. A

24/7 emergency response would be provided out of the custody centres and

standby locations which may result in slightly longer response times. There

were a number of initiatives designed to keep rural communities safer –

Farmwatch, Horsewatch, Pathwatch and Heritagewatch.

• The Panel expressed concern that crime figures were increasing and this had

  not been addressed by the Commissioner. The Panel were not reassured

that the figures would not continue to increase as budgets reduced. The

Commissioner acknowledged that the number of burglaries of dwellings had

increased and this was raised with the Chief Constable every quarter. The

Commissioner had questioned the performance of Operation Magpie in light

of the figures. Sussex was eighth of 43 for risk per thousand of burglaries.

It was thought that the rise in burglary dwellings could be attributed to

darker evenings and the release of known suspects but this was being closely

monitored.

108.   Resolved – That the panel noted the report.