Excellent discussion in Brighton this morning with colleagues about the ongoing development of our social media. Lots of good coverage and practise across West Sussex, although some areas are stronger than others.
Social media is very much an additional communication option for us. It should not, could not and will not replace the opportunities for members of the public to speak to their local police, be it on the street, at the police station or other community building.
We do however acknowledge the growing use of applications such as Twitter and Facebook. Colleagues are very good at putting information - witness appeals, crime updates, engagement events and operations - into the public domain. Where we need to be smarter is in engaging communities in a discussion about what bothers them at a local level and to give them the opportunity to propose and be part of those solutions and outcomes.
Districts are in the process of selecting specially trained engagement officers who will develop and deliver a range of communication methods to engage communities, support colleagues and in many ways releasing staff from some office based functions to allow increased community contact.
We will target activity to reduce burglaries, people being killed or seriously injured on our roads or being assaulted on our streets whatever communities tell us but we also understand that crimes and incidents such as minor damage, anti-social behaviour or speeding can have a disproportionately negative effect on people’s feeling of security and well being. So tell us what concerns you and we will work with you and partners to reverse these behaviours.
Professional, supportive, impartial, non-judgemental………… and they do it for nothing.
Who’s that?
Victim Support volunteers. I met six and their coordinator when I went to Arundel on Monday evening.
I was asked if I would speak to a group of Victim Support volunteers about anti-social behaviour and hate crime. I met a group of dedicated volunteers who wanted to learn more about the processes employed by Sussex Police and our partners in order that they can deliver a better service to victims and witnesses.
It was a really great evening, especially as we all learnt something that we will ultimately use for the benefit of victims and witnesses.
We categorise the harm that anti-social behaviour causes using the Home Office headings of Environmental, Nuisance and Personal.
I was able to explain to the group how we assess risk at the initial point of contact in calls relating to anti-social behaviour. Our call takers ask a series of questions to assess risk, vulnerability and repeat status. Once this is completed the most appropriate response is allocated to deal with the situation based on the available information.
The member of staff who has the second contact with the victim conducts a more thorough risk assessment if the information leads them to believe the victim has been subject to personal harm. Those cases that are assessed as medium or high are subject to rigorous oversight to protect the victims, reduce or eliminate the level of harm and hold the perpetrators to account.
Sussex Police work hard to keep victims updated with progress of their case but often the level of support and the length of time it is required is beyond what is always reasonable for us to deliver. This is where Victim Support volunteers are invaluable.
A volunteer armed with a brief description of the circumstances of the case from the coordinator sets off to meet the victim or witness. Volunteers are someone victims and witnesses can to talk to in confidence. They provide information on police and court procedures, compensation and insurance and other sources of help as well as supporting them in dealing with other organisations.
The volunteer is still available to offer support after the court case or original incident is over.
Following my meeting with the volunteers I wrote to the six Neighbourhood Policing Team inspectors across West Sussex updating them about the role of the Victim Support volunteer and how local officers can support their work. Sussex Police can do this by being available to provide additional information to volunteers thus allowing them to provide a better service to victims and witnesses. In return the coordinator offered her services in speaking to neighbourhood officers during training days to better inform them of the support her volunteers can offer to the many victims and witnesses they deal with.
An excellent evening and a true partnership delivering ongoing support to victims and witnesses.
If you want to know more about the services offered by Victim Support or would consider becoming a volunteer you can find out more by visiting their website at http://www.victimsupport.org/
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender….. Sussex Police has it all sorted!
Well we have haven’t we?
- Our LGBT team held their fourth monthly online chat on Saturday 28th April.
- We have sexual orientation and gender champions at senior officer level.
- We have an External Reference Group made up of a cross section of members of the LGBT communities of Sussex. They challenge us in relation to our policies and procedures affecting the LGBT community.
- At the beginning of the year we trained all frontline staff in relation to our new hate crime processes. Hate crime is identified and appropriately graded at the first point of contact. It is scrutinised by senior officers on a daily basis to ensure we have delivered the appropriate response and that the ongoing level of investigation and oversight is one that holds perpetrators to account and supports victims. Two members of our External Reference Group attended the training.
- The Force from the very top downwards actively supports IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia).
- Senior leaders, officers and staff play key roles in supporting the Stonewall Equality Walk and Pride, both of which are held in Brighton.
- We held a successful seminar for supervisors and managers of frontline staff to help them better understand the issues faced by members of our staff who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender within the workplace. Three members of our External Reference Group attended the seminar.
- Following the award winning work of our LGBT team in Brighton, we are seeing an increase in the number of staff across the whole of Sussex who are increasing links with their local LGBT communities.
- We publish figures on our website in relation to homophobic and transphobic hate crime.
- We have an Internal Reference Group chaired by a senior leader that works towards making Sussex Police an employer of choice for lesbian, gay and bisexual people, offering a supported working environment that encourages difference and challenges those who seek to undermine that work.
- We work with the Gay Police Association (Sussex) in their work to support lesbian, gay and bisexual members of staff.
- We are increasing our work within transgender communities to understand their issues and needs.
Wow, that’s a pretty impressive list. So we have got it sorted…..haven’t we?
Well…err..no!
Can we really say that as an organisation we fully understand the issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as they go about their daily lives inside and outside of Sussex Police?
Can we really say that as an organisation we have the full trust and confidence of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people who are resident of and visitors to Sussex?
Can we really say that there were only 111 homophobic and 5 transphobic crimes across Sussex in 2011?
Ah, yes, I see. Well let’s not be too pessimistic. I think it’s a case of lots achieved but more to do.
I am confident that with the continued engagement with, challenge from and support of the force, GPA (Sussex), further development of the internal and external reference groups and increasing the information we place in the public domain we will see Sussex as a place where homophobic or transphobic behaviour is not acceptable, where perpetrators are held accountable for their actions and victims are fully supported.
Chief Inspector Jon Hull reflects on a successful RoC Launch in Burgess Hill
Positive partnerships for practical change was the message that rang out loud and clear from the assembled gatheringat the Triangle in Burgess Hill on Friday (17th Feb) evening. The RoC roadshow had come to town and an audienceof between 500-600 people heard how their town and surrounding villages were a great place to live.
The thirty or so stalls showcasing the work of local charities and help groups who support people in the areas of debt management, healthy living, mediation, addiction and family support to name a few were recognised and congratulated for the part they already play in delivering positive outcomes for local people. But for fifteen local churches and Sussex Police they saw the positive experiences that RoC had already brought to Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Eastbourne as something they wished to replicate in Mid Sussex.
RoC or to give it it’s full name - Redeeming our Communities - is a national charity founded in 2004 with outlets and partnerships across the UK. The aim of Redeeming our Communities is to be a catalyst for community transformation by promoting partnerships, which open up more opportunities for the reduction of crime and disorder, and enhanced community cohesion.
RoC brings together community groups, churches, the police, the fire service, local authorities and voluntary agencies to encourage them to work together in positive partnerships for practical change. As a result, statutory agencies have improved access to the support of community/church groups, and thousands of volunteers are enabled to better serve the needs of their community.
The audience heard from Debra Green –National Director and Founder of RoC – who recounted some of the positive results RoC had delivered in communities up and down the country. The RoC Café in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester is part of a full-time RoC Centre which hosts a daily Police Surgery with Radcliffe Neighbourhood Policing Team as well as a wide variety of other groups including a community lunch and bingo club, drama academy, Adult Learning Difficulties and Disabilities team and a Youth Church. The RoC Centre has contributed to a reduction in reported anti social behaviour of 51%.
Debra went on to say that RoC, “Encourages people of goodwill to work for safer and kinder communities, as well as developing life skills which empower them to make positive life choices.”
Deputy Chief Constable Giles York was pleased to lend his support and that of Sussex Police to the event. DCC York said that the police are not always the solution and can sometimes be the problem to resolving community issues. He went on to say that there is a lack of understanding of difference within society, which can lead to suspicion. This is often the case when we hear that individuals feel wary because a group of young people are ‘standing on a street corner.’
DCC York expressed his confidence that with RoC, communities, police and partners working together they could overcome some of the challenges faced by those who are most vulnerable. He concluded by saying that if people see a problem they should talk to someone.
So following an evening of music, dance, and thought provoking words, energy and support, what next for RoC Burgess Hill?
This was just a taster. Community members were invited to attend one of two RoC Conversations, which is where the real work begins. RoC Conversations encourage local people to get together to identify and solve local problems together. Once the problems are identified a plan of action is drawn up to reduce or resolve the issues.
If you want to be part of the solution why not put one of the RoC Conversations in your diary.
7.30 on 6th March at Gateway Baptist Church, Burgess Hill
7pm on 7th March at Willow Way Community Centre, Hurstpierpoint
For more details call 01444 230830 or e-mail: info@roc-burgesshill.co.uk
Following consultation between Sussex Police, The Crown Prosecution Service, Youth Justice Board and Children’s Services a protocol has been agreed for dealing with bad behaviour by children in a ‘care’ setting.
The way in which police deal with incidents and crimes in children’s homes is changing to try and prevent young people being criminalised.
Community resolution is one of the practices to be used by Sussex Police along with partners when officers are called to deal with children in care.
Children in local authority care have higher average rates of offending than children who are still in the care of their families. Where parents would punish bad behaviour by grounding or stopping pocket money for example, in care homes punishment usually involves the police. Although it may be acting in the best interests of all involved, it is likely to criminalise looked after children when there are other options of dealing with this behaviour.
Chief Inspector Ian Pollard said: “One such option is community resolution, the victim-led way of dealing with an offence, which has been used everyday across the county by officers since being launched a year ago.
“Community Resolution places the victim very much at the centre of the decision making process. They reflect on the harm caused to them and if they choose, propose outcomes to be completed by the offender to put the harm right. Community Resolution delivers immediate justice for the victim and makes the offender take responsibility and complete reparation for their action.
“It will also help police officers to have more discretion in a situation when called out to a children’s home and as well as giving care workers a greater understanding of what will happen when they call the police and to highlight the different options when dealing with challenging behaviour in young people.”
Following the successful launch of Street Watch in Littlehampton yesterday I thought I would just post a few words about the scheme.
The concept of Street Watch is that of community minded people serving their community through positive citizenship. Volunteers patrol their local streets in high visibility jackets with the aim of providing reassurance, engaging with community issues and reducing anti-social behaviour.
The schemes are run by coordinators within the community and every volunteer is police checked. Each scheme will have its own single point of contact within the police and officers will link in with Street Watch members regularly to share information on issues such as crime prevention and areas currently experiencing anti-social behaviour.
People patrol in pairs and can check who else is available using an online calendar. Volunteers need to be able to patrol for at least two hours every month. Each member is covered by an insurance policy.
Examples of the work Street Watch members could do include:
Alerting officers to fly tipping.
Contacting the right people to get graffiti removed.
Engaging with groups of young people.
Arranging for supermarket trolleys to be returned to the store.
It is non-confrontational and every member has the responsibility to act within the law and has personal accountability for their own actions. PCSOs will sometimes go out on patrol with Street Watch members.
Assistant Chief Constable for Neighbourhood Policing, Robin Merrett said: “It is vital that the police work with their communities and Street Watch is one of the ways that people can get involved in keeping the area they live in a safe place.
“The scheme is already proving successful elsewhere in the country and I am confident we can build upon that good work here in Sussex.
“I believe this new scheme will complement the work already being done by organisations such as Neighbourhood Watch and the Street Pastors and I look forward to being able to update you when we have more information.”
Street Watch is being piloted across the Arun District. It is hoped that following a review of the scheme it can be rolled out across the rest of the county.
More details are on the national website at http://www.street-watch.org.uk
If you wish to learn more about Street Watch in Arun please contact Sergeant Carolyn Kendall on 101 ext 86339 or 07909 687279 or via e-mail at carolyn.kendall@sussex.pnn.police.uk
If you are interested in Street watch outside of the Arun District you can contact me.
Sergeant Peter Allan
Community Engagement Sergeant
West Sussex
Call 101 Ext 81255 or 07867 501150
Peter.allan@sussex.pnn.police.uk
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Street Watch a replacement for Police Officers?
‘Street Watch is not about policing or about replacing police officers. The scheme is about communities re-connecting with the traditional values of good citizenship and community cohesion that have been undermined through a disproportionate fear of crime. Street Watch empowers communities to promote and set their own standards and for residents to reclaim their open spaces and to provide visible reassurance to others. ‘
‘We would all welcome more officers patrolling our streets. However, the reality is that in the near future this is unlikely to happen. To engage in an honest debate with residents and provide options to enter into a new style of partnership with us is in my view a positive approach. Unrealistic expectations and endless debates concerning police officer numbers fails to address immediate community issues and serves only to deteriorate public confidence and increases fear.’
2. Residents pay their taxes, why should they patrol?
‘Any notion that residents pay their taxes and in doing so can absolve themselves of all community responsibility undermines a sense of community cohesion. Community cohesion requires the active engagement by residents to stand up for themselves and make a difference. Street Watch provides this opportunity and is about bringing back confidence and lost values to our neighbourhoods.’
3. It is too dangerous to expect residents to patrol their own streets.
Very few things in life are risk free and patrolling your streets carries an element of risk. Street Watch however minimises any risks through having regulated policies, guidance, operating procedures and risk assessments.
‘The overriding principle of Street Watch is that it is about engagement and not confrontation. Many people have expressed beliefs that residents would not be able to engage with the more difficult elements within our communities. However, Street Watch members have shown that this can be achieved through appropriate dialogue where the purpose is to build bridges and to be inclusive towards young people with increased understanding on both sides. Many of the hard to reach youngsters are now the strongest advocates of the scheme and their behaviour has improved.’
Street Watch members are adults who understand that they are responsible for their own actions and who have a balanced view of any potential risks. They are willing through personal choice to undertake patrols.
In the UK, 2 million people a year attend hospital with sports related injuries. However, society accepts that taking part in sports is positive for overall health and we accept risks to ourselves and our children. Patrolling our streets is all about maintaining the health of communities and in the same way, risks should be rationalised and reduced.
With a direct reference to civilian patrols, Louise Casey stated in her paper ‘Engaging communities in fighting crime’ that, ‘there needs to be a drive for common sense solutions to prevail, and where there is mythology about ‘political correctness’ or ‘health and safety culture’ it should be challenged or such cases will continue to undermine and deter citizen involvement.’
4. How does Street Watch reduce Anti-Social Behaviour?
Anti-social behaviour takes hold in areas where communities have lost control of their open spaces, where residents tend to have a disproportionate fear of crime and an overreliance on police. Street Watch encourages residents to be more visible on their streets and to become empowered to take back ownership of their open spaces and to set standards for others.
Youths hang out in an open area causing nuisance. Residents feel intimidated by them and fearful. This further empowers the youths who soon realise that they are not being challenged and become more empowered and bold.
The police are frequently called and often due to other demands, may not be in a position to arrive as promptly as expected. Where the law is not being broken, police have limited powers and end up moving the youths on. The youths return the following night and the residents become more fearful and their confidence in police may reduce.
Street Watch reverses this cycle and empowers communities. Street Watch encourages residents to be visible within their own communities and to patrol their open spaces in pairs. Street Watch is about getting to know the youths and to develop new levels of respect and understanding which in turn reduces the feelings of fear and intimidation. By reclaiming these open spaces a clear message is sent out that the behaviour of others will be monitored and appropriately challenged with new standards set by the community.
The concept of Street Watch aims to unite communities whilst being supported by Police. The persistent nature of the patrols means that those who wish to undermine our communities become disempowered. They no longer have the freedom to behave as they like and quickly decide to moderate their behaviour. The anti-social behaviour in that area stops.
The police cannot solve all our community issues on their own and it is unreasonable to expect that they can. We can all do our bit to empower ourselves, our communities and to bring about sustainable long term benefits.
5. I am concerned that Street Watch is a vigilante group
Nothing is further from the truth. Street Watch is non confrontational and every member has the responsibility to act within the law and has personal accountability for their own actions.
Current members include teachers, nurses, musicians, financial workers, District and Parish Councillors to name a few. The scheme is about good citizenship and taking ownership of your own community. The Street Watch Scheme is fully supported by the Hampshire Constabulary.
Unlike many other voluntary schemes, Street Watch members are police checked.
The Street Watch badge carries the Hampshire Constabulary logo. The Hampshire Constabulary does not support vigilante group.
Street Watch is all about community minded people serving their community through positive citizenship
6. Are Street Watch members insured?
There is both public liability and personal accident / injury insurance covering Street Watch members.
Street Watch members are members of the public walking their streets just like any other member of the public. Like any person, Street Watch members are responsible for your own actions to be lawful, reasonable, proportionate and justified.
Street Watch is run by the community for the community. Street Watch members have no powers other than what is stated in law for any citizen. Street Watch is about promoting the concept of good citizenship. There is no requirement or expectation for individuals to take risks or engage in any exceptional activity. Street Watch members make their own judgements in acting as good citizens. Like any member of the public, Street Watch members have the personal accountability to observe, report or engage in a manner that is lawful and appropriate.
7. Do residents have the skills to patrol their own streets?
If there is to be a shift towards embracing the public as partners, then there has to be associated trust and confidence towards them. Many Street Watch members have expressed views that they are fed up by being ‘treated like children’ by the authorities.
The police employ PCSOs, often as their first job and young in age and life experience. Street Watch members are typically aged between 35 – 75 years of age. All of them carry a wealth of experience from employment, working in the public or private sector in demanding environments and who know their own communities better than most. It is important to recognised that such members of the community, under the guidance of a regulated organisation, are more than capable of applying good citizen ship and patrolling their own streets.
8. What training do Street Watch members receive?
Street Watch is about good community citizenship. At the formation of new schemes, members are given a 1 hr presentation regarding the scheme. It is ensured that members understand their own responsibilities, the guidance and risk assessments. Members sign a document to confirm their understanding. At a second ‘launch’ meeting, the guidance, codes of conduct and potential scenarios are then discussed in an open forum.
On first patrols, members patrol with police support or with experienced members. The guidance is to patrol during the day and to engage in activity such as leaflet drops. As experience and confidence grows, members then patrol at later times.
Street Watch supports the continued development of members. A standing agenda at every meeting is to discuss patrol experiences and how to deal with scenarios. The emphasis is always on non confrontation.
Street Watch is not about policing. It is about drawing on the wealth of experiences and skills held by residents and applying good citizenship.
Development schemes can be adapted to the different environments and local issues. Street Watch in more demanding areas is likely to need a higher input than rural areas where members may already be very familiar with their communities.
A man who was jailed for assaulting his colleague at their firm’s Christmas party met his victim to apologise.
The Worthing man was sentenced to five months for assaulting his work colleague in Goring following an argument. The victim also from Worthing went to hospital after being kicked and punched in the face and head. He suffered a cut above his eye and a swelling to the face, and underwent a scan.
The 23-year-old victim said: “I came out of hospital but I don’t remember that Christmas at all. I was not good. My partner who was there when I was assaulted was really upset, it really affected her.”
While in prison the offender approached a prison officer and said he wanted to apologise to his victim once he was out and he felt remorseful for his action. He had also been offered his old job back and would be working with him again.
The victim agreed and after three months of preparation between Sussex Police, Lewes Prison, Probation and Sussex Churches, the first level three restorative justice conference for the West Sussex division took place at a vicarage in Ferring. The boss of the company the men worked for also took part in the meeting.
The 28-year-old offender said: “I wanted to write a letter of apology and then I decided to meet the victim face-to-face. I really wanted to shake his hand and say sorry for my actions.
“I was nervous but I got the chance to say sorry to my victim, his partner and my boss. I heard from them about how my actions had affected them. It cleared the air and has helped me to move on. I am working back at the firm and have a family now.
“We don’t see each other much at work but I and my partner and daughter bumped into him and his partner at the Littlehampton bonfire celebrations a couple of months ago and chatted. It has just made the situation less awkward than it would have been. I would recommend this process.”
The victim said: “At first I was reluctant to take part but then I decided I should give it a go. It was worthwhile, although it was probably more benefit for him than it was for me. At least I could tell him how it affected me and my partner. It is a positive form of mediation.”
PC Ian Berryman, integrated offender management officer, who helped organise the conference said: “All those who took part in the process said they were given the chance to speak and be heard. They have achieved closure and can now move on.”
The text above was previously added to the Sussex Police website on 4th January 2012.
As can be from the article, Community Resolution can be a positive experience for not only victims and offenders but others who have been affected by the incident.
The assault took place at a work’s Christmas party and was witnessed by the partner’s of both the victim and offender, colleagues and management.
The conference was carefully planned and managed by trained staff to allow all those who had been affected, to explain the impact the offender’s actions had had.
Christmas was tainted for a number of those involved and their families, including young children.
The victim’s girlfriend was able to look the offender in the eye and tell him what she was feeling as she witnessed her partner on the floor being kicked in the head.
The conference has allowed the parties to move on in a spirit of better understanding. It has removed the tension from those potentially awkward moments when their paths may cross.
This really does demonstrate restorative practice at its best…..responsibility, reparation and rehabilitation.
It is Thursday 13th January 2011 and Sussex Police receive a call from a lady in Worthing stating that she had witnessed a youth kick her fence causing it to break. Two officers were duly dispatched and commenced a search with the description they had been given. The officers found a male who fitted the description and arrested a sixteen-year-old local boy, as they had no other way to deal with him.
An hour later after completing the procedures at the custody centre the officers returned to the scene to speak with the lady who had made the original call. One officer completed a statement while the other took photographs and spoke to the neighbours to see if they had witnessed the fence being damaged.
Armed with all their evidence the officers returned to the custody centre where the boy’s mother had just arrived. Following a discussion with the mother the officers were ready to interview their suspect.
Following an initial denial, before being confronted with the evidence the officers had gathered, the boy admitted kicking out at the fence after a row with his older brother.
After a short period of time in which the officers completed more procedures the inspector formally reprimanded the boy. So after explaining that his fingerprints, photograph and DNA sample would be kept and that the reprimand may be disclosed to a prospective employer the boy left the custody centre with his mum four and a half hours after he had been arrested. The officers returned to the lady to update her that the boy who had damaged her fence had admitted it and had received a reprimand.
As well as having to pay for the fence the lady was left wondering why the boy had singled out her fence to vent his anger on. The officers left to respond to another incident.
How differently the above situation could have been if it had occurred twenty-four hours later.
Friday 14th January?
What happened on 14th January?
Sussex Police introduced Community Resolution as an additional disposal option for officers.
So how could the incident of the damaged fence have been resolved if Community Resolution had been an option?
The officers would still have attended to look for the boy, who the victim had seen damage her fence. Once the boy had been located and detained, one of the officers went to speak to the victim who was updated that a boy fitting the description she had given had been located and was with the other officer.
The victim was told that the decision on any action to be taken against the boy was hers. The officer had just completed her Community Resolution training the day before and she explained what that entailed.
The victim did not want to criminalise the boy, especially as he had admitted the damage and seemed genuinely remorseful. She did however want him to explain to her why he had done it and to apologise. She also felt that the message of the whole incident would be more meaningful for the boy if he agreed to pay for the damaged fence to be replaced and undertake two hours of unpaid work in her garden. The officer explained that if the boy refused to agree to the outcomes suggested by the lady or did not complete them to her satisfaction that he would be subject to other more formal sanctions that the criminal justice system offered.
The boy agreed and apologised to the lady straight away. He told her how he had had a row with his brother and that he was really very sorry. He agreed to undertake the work and pay for the damaged fence to be replaced. While he was completing the work in her garden the following week, the boy was telling the lady how he was interested in history and was studying the Second World War at school. The lady went into the house and returned with some photographs of her late husband who had served in the RAF during the war.
Now let’s compare the two outcomes…..
The incident on the 13th January left the lady paying for her fence to be repaired wondering why it had been singled out for such aggression. And what use was a reprimand to her? As for the boy, he was unsure whether he would be able to join the army after he left school, as he would have to disclose the reprimand. His mum was not very pleased either, having spent two hours at the custody centre.
The incident depicted here is fictional and has been written purely to illustrate the workings of Community Resolution from the perspective of the victim, offender and officer.
Community Resolution has been successfully used in 4,182 offences since its introduction on 14th January 2011.
