News

The work of Night Safety Marshals across several areas of Sussex ceased in April because the government cut their funding and changed the priorities required to access it. Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne shares residents’ disappointment that this valued service has come to an end.

Since 2022, Night Safety Marshals have operated across Brighton, Crawley, Eastbourne (launched in 2024) and Worthing, under the Safer Streets Fund and subsequent Hotspot Policing Fund 2024. Both funds focused on tackling anti-social behaviour and improving public safety in the night-time economy.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne will spotlight community reassurance in Crowborough, road safety, domestic abuse protections and gender representation in policing at her regular performance and accountability meeting (PAM) with Sussex Police chief officers on 16 April.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne has invited residents to say whether average speed cameras should be installed on sections of the A285 and A272 in West Sussex.

Average speed cameras measure your vehicle's speed over a long stretch of road rather than at a single spot. Using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), they record your entry and exit time between at least two cameras to calculate your average speed. If this average exceeds the limit, you are fined. 

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne has chaired the final Pegasus Partnership board meeting, where national retailers join forces with UK policing to tackle serious organised retail crime.

Katy Bourne spearheaded the Pegasus Partnership in 2023 with 13 of the UK’s leading retailers pledging to fund a team of specialist police officers and analysts working within a national law enforcement structure known as Opal.

WBC Cares, a community‑focused initiative operating six amateur boxing gyms across Sussex, is helping young people build confidence, develop life skills and stay away from crime. Through dedicated coaches trained in youth work and mentoring, the charity uses the discipline and structure of boxing to inspire positive change – particularly among disadvantaged young people.

Last week Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne welcomed members of Sussex Neighbourhood Watch to her office for a special ceremony to recognise the achievements of Derek Pratt MBE, Deputy Chair & Secretary of the Sussex Neighbourhood Watch Federation.

This week marks the second Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) Awareness Week, focusing on reducing retail crime and the anti-social behaviour linked to it.

Nationally, BCRPs work closely with retailers, hospitality and night‑time economy businesses, police, police & crime commissioners, local authorities, community safety teams and other agencies. By sharing intelligence on prolific offenders, deterring anti-social behaviour and supporting police investigations, they help reduce crime and keep both businesses and the public safe.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne has awarded grassroots organisations across Sussex a share of £63,890 in the latest round of her Safer in Sussex Community Fund.

To date, the Safer in Sussex Fund has invested more than £2.3 million in over 600 community initiatives, providing grants to local projects that help prevent crime, support victims, reduce reoffending and improve community safety – directly supporting the priorities set out in PCC Bourne’s Police and Crime Plan for Sussex.

County Lines Intensification Week is a national week of action (2 – 8 March) aimed at disrupting organised criminal networks that move illegal drugs across the country.

These operations continue to have a significant impact on communities across Sussex, bringing violence, anti‑social behaviour and the exploitation of vulnerable people.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne will scrutinise Sussex Police’s response to several significant areas of public interest at this month’s Performance and Accountability Meeting (PAM).