News

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne has shared the below regarding the announcement by the Home Office to temporarily house approximately 600 adult asylum seekers at the Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex:

“There has been absolutely no consultation with residents or elected representatives like me and our Members of Parliament. Local people are understandably worried about the safety of their families and children and the impact on local services.

“As recent alarming cases show there is a real risk that, among the many genuine asylum-seekers arriving on small boats, there are likely to be a number of criminals.

“We need evidence that the Home Office and Immigration Services know who they are so, if they go missing, police can find them.

This week, Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne's Victim Services and Commissioning Team held their of our bi-annual Funding Network Events for the specialist services the office supports that provide help for survivors of crime.

Over 30 individuals from 20 services attended the event. It was a good opportunity for them to discuss any challenges and areas for further collaboration that would support their collective work helping those who have experienced or witnessed crime in Sussex.

On Tuesday 28 October, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne joined the Bexhill Neighbourhood Board to welcome the Southeast Regional Adviser for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). 

As PCC, Katy Bourne is a statutory member of all three Neighbourhood Boards across Sussex. The visit provided an opportunity to introduce the MHCLG Adviser to Bexhill with a walkabout through the town with Chair of the Board, Abi Newbury, followed by discussions on the Board’s developing plans. 

As the clocks go back and Halloween approaches, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne is urging residents to stay alert and take steps to protect against anti-social behaviour (ASB) and burglary during the darker evenings.

The autumn period traditionally sees a rise in opportunistic crime, with longer nights providing cover for burglars and increased reports of ASB linked to seasonal events. In response, Sussex Police and partners are stepping up action to keep neighbourhoods safe. 

Operation Secure (previously known as Operation Magpie) focuses on burglary in the winter months and urges the public to protect their homes, for example by installing a home security system, leaving the lights on, or having a car on the driveway to show someone’s at home.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said the Home Office’s covert plan to dump over 600 undocumented foreign nationals into a former army training camp in Crowborough was a desperate measure.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne, in partnership with the local authorities, has awarded a £25,000 grant to Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) to fund the delivery of specialist support services for families across Sussex who have been bereaved by homicide, suicide or unexplained deaths following domestic abuse.

Sussex Snapshots is a new series by Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne, highlighting ongoing work taking place across the county to make Sussex a safer place to live in and visit.

As a Police and Crime Commissioner, Mrs Bourne has a duty to listen to residents and act as their voice in policing, raising concerns and issues with the force and holding the Chief Constable to account. This series will delve into various areas of policing; community safety work; and direct work from Mrs Bourne’s office whereby areas such as town centres are becoming safer, crime is decreasing and issues are being tackled in a robust fashion.

Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne will hold her next Performance & Accountability Meeting (PAM) with Sussex Police Chief Constable Shiner on Thursday 16 October at 13:00.

The meeting, which is webcast live each month: Home - Sussex PCC Webcasting, gives the public a front-row seat as the PCC scrutinises Sussex Police’s performance across key areas.

For the first time ever in the UK, shoplifters will be electronically tagged after Sussex Police successfully secured two Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) following shop theft convictions.

In a pioneering pilot scheme to tackle persistent shoplifting led by Sussex PCC Katy Bourne, the first CBO was granted at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 19 September 2025. This includes an exclusion zone around the location of the offences (Co-op, Albert Parade, Eastbourne) and requires the convicted shop thief to wear a GPS tag for 12-months.

In response to reports that the appearance of flags is making some communities feel deliberately targeted and intimidated, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne said: "Millions of people in our islands are patriotic and deeply attached to the flags of their home nations and the United Kingdom.

"In less fractious times, seeing your flag normally instils feelings of belonging and pride and I have no doubt that many of the people currently attaching flags to lamp posts and street furniture share our pride in being British."