Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner. Safer in Sussex. Police & Crime Plan 2014/2017

Transcription

1 Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Safer in Sussex Police & Crime Plan 2014/2017

2 Contents Section Page 1 Foreword 3 2 Summary of Achievements to Date - One Year On 4 3 Roles & Responsibilities 6 Police & Crime Commissioner 6 Chief Constable 7 Police & Crime Panel 8 4 Priority Areas & Objectives 9 Priority Areas 9 Priority Objectives 10 5 Strategic Policing Requirement 12 6 Sussex & Surrey Collaboration 13 7 Police, Engagement & Partnership 14 Police 15 Engagement 16 Partnership Policing Budget & Precept 40 2

3 Foreword This refreshed Police & Crime Plan takes a look at the strategic aims and objectives that were identified when I was elected in Over the last year, I have listened extensively to your concerns and priorities and will continue to do so. I have really enjoyed meeting local residents, community groups and organisations across Sussex to gain a better understanding of the issues impacting upon your lives and how things might be improved. This two-way dialogue ensures that I am more aware of your concerns and can respond accordingly. My four priority areas that drive our Plan remain unchanged: The measures and objectives within each of these areas have been updated to ensure that they continue to reflect accurately your expectations and remain focused on the issues that you have told me are important to you. The Chief Constable has also revised the Operational Delivery Plan for Sussex Police which supports and delivers the measures and objectives outlined in our Plan. I am pleased to confirm that crime has fallen throughout my first year of office and for the eighth successive year in Sussex. Credit must again be given to Sussex Police and partners for their determination and hard work to improve performance in a time of austerity. My ambitions to continue driving down crime and for Sussex to remain a safe place in which to live remain unchanged. Further achievements include opening recruitment for the first time in three and a half years, creating a 29-member Youth Commission, unveiling a 5-year estates strategy for Sussex Police, agreeing a joint collaborative vision with Surrey Police and becoming the first police force in England and Wales to gain White Ribbon Award status in recognition of a commitment to reducing domestic abuse & violence against women. I have sought to make additional investment in areas that pose the greatest risk to the residents of Sussex and have increased the policing precept by 1.95% for 2014/2015. This investment will be used to strengthen and enhance the capacity of Sussex Police in the fight against cyber crime, to tackle serious sexual offences and child exploitation and to increase the visibility of front-line policing. The Plan continues to be a living document and will remain under constant review. I am grateful for the support that the members of the Police & Crime Panel have given me in revising this Plan because they play a vital role in scrutinising my decisions and performance against the Plan. I look forward to building on last year s achievements and working with partners in 2014/15 to make us all Safer in Sussex. Katy Bourne Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner 3

4 One Year On Summary of Achievements to Date One Year On The following performance has been demonstrated against the priorities outlined in the Plan throughout the Commissioner s first year of office (November 2012 to October 2013) The Commissioner has launched the Safer in Sussex Fund which provides financial support to local projects that tackle crime and improve community safety. The Commissioner has been working with the uppertier authorities to develop a pan-sussex performance framework to monitor the ability of all individual Partnerships to reduce crime and improve community safety against consistent criteria. Performance against Measure: Recorded crimes per 1,000 population have reduced by 7%. The Commissioner has driven Sussex Police to become the first police force in England and Wales to gain White Ribbon Award status in recognition of a commitment to reducing domestic abuse & violence. The Commissioner has established a variety of methods to communicate with victims of crime, witnesses affected by crime, and service providers. A programme of work has been commissioned through Portsmouth University to prepare a needs analysis which will inform future service provision in Sussex and Surrey. Performance against Measure: satisfaction has remained constant at 83%. 4

5 One Year On As part of the Commissioner s pledge to increase police visibility, Mrs Bourne has opened recruitment for 120 police officers, 30 PCSOs, 160 Special Constables and 32 civilian investigators to be in post by April The Commissioner has launched a Youth Commission to engage with and gather the views of young people from across the county. Their findings and conclusions will be presented to the Commissioner with the aim of informing, supporting and challenging the priorities set out in the Plan. The Commissioner has unveiled plans for a 20m investment programme in the Sussex Police estate to improve the accessibility and visibility of neighbourhood policing. The Commissioner has worked with Sussex Police to review the Private Finance Initiative Custody contract which has achieved savings of 0.98m. Performance against Measure: There has been a 2% increase in the reporting of domestic abuse & violence and serious sexual offences and a 33% increase in recorded number of hate crimes. Performance against Measure: An additional 2.2m of savings have been identified against the measure of 9.6m. In total, 11.8m of savings have been found. 5

6 Responsibilities Roles & Responsibilities Police & Crime Commissioner The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act (2011) established the role of the Police & Crime Commissioner. The Act set provisions for the replacement of police authorities with directly elected Police & Crime Commissioners, with the aim of improving police accountability by reconnecting the public with policing. The Commissioner has a number of statutory responsibilities which include: Setting the strategic direction for policing in Sussex and holding the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of this policing; Publishing a Police & Crime Plan (in consultation with the Chief Constable); Setting the budget for the policing of Sussex and setting the amount of Council Tax collected for policing purposes (the precept); Holding the Chief Constable to account for delivering policing that is efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of the public as set out in the Police & Crime Plan; Appointing, and if necessary, dismissing the Chief Constable of Sussex Police. The Commissioner will expect the Chief Constable to direct the resources at his disposal to meet the measures outlined in the Plan as reflected in the Operational Delivery Plan. Complaints The Sussex Police & Crime Panel has a duty to consider any complaints made against the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner. 6

7 Responsibilities Chief Constable The Chief Constable is responsible for keeping the communities of Sussex safe and secure. The Act protects the operational independence of the police by making it clear that the Chief Constable retains direction and control of the force s officers and staff. The Chief Constable is accountable in law for the exercise of police powers, and to the Commissioner for the delivery of efficient and effective policing, and management of resources and expenditure by the police force. Complaints The Commissioner has a statutory duty to consider and investigate any complaints or conduct matters against the Chief Constable of Sussex Police, where he has been personally and directly involved. The Chief Constable is responsible for investigating complaints and conduct matters against police officers and staff and on operational and policy matters. Any complaints received by the Commissioner against Sussex Police will be forwarded to the Professional Standards Department within Sussex Police for them to respond directly. 7

8 Responsibilities Police & Crime Panel The Police & Crime Panel scrutinise the performance of the Police & Crime Commissioner on behalf of local people and provide a check and balance in terms of transparency. The Panel is made up of representatives from each of the 15 local authorities within Sussex, plus two independent members. There is a requirement for political and geographical balance amongst the elected members of the Panel. The Panel has a number of powers and responsibilities, including: reviewing and endorsing the Police & Crime Plan together with reporting and making recommendations on the policing precept; scrutinising and reporting on the Commissioner s Annual Report; handling and resolving complaints against the Commissioner; reviewing and scrutinising key strategic decisions; making and publishing reports or recommendations to the Commissioner on the discharge of her functions; holding confirmation hearings for the proposed appointments of Chief Constable, Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer; the power to suspend the Commissioner if charged with an imprisonable offence or appoint an acting Commissioner where the incumbent Commissioner is incapacitated, resigns or is disqualified. 8

9 Priority Areas & Objectives Priority Areas The Commissioner s priorities are informed by what local people say is important to them and the issues that cause the most harm or distress. The four priority areas that the Commissioner will work with Sussex Police, engage with communities and work in partnership to address are: The priorities are graphically represented as overlapping, equal and interrelated circles because they are equally important and intrinsically linked to each other. Value for 9

10 Priority Objectives For each of these priorities the Commissioner s local objectives are shown below. These are of course not an exhaustive list but do reflect the expectations of the public. Value for Keeping Sussex a low crime area Commissioning new and lasting initiatives to reduce re-offending Taking account of community priorities and their contributing factors (such as alcohol and drugs) Improve the experience that victims and witnesses have of the criminal justice system Enhance, develop and commission initiatives to bring justice for victims Effective policing, responsive to the needs of victims and the vulnerable MEASURE Reduce the recorded crimes per 1,000 population. MEASURE Support improvements to victim satisfaction in their overall experience of the criminal justice system. 10

11 Build trust in the police and the criminal justice system Remove proceeds of crime from criminals and reinvest that money in our communities Encourage the development of volunteering to make us Safer in Sussex Improve efficiency across the criminal justice system Further collaboration & partnership working Effective and innovative commissioning of services and procurement of assets MEASURE Increase the reporting of domestic abuse and violence, serious sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and hate crimes. MEASURE Working with Sussex Police and partners to meet the financial challenges ahead whilst delivering, and objectives and identifying opportunities to improve. 11

12 Strategic Policing Requirement Strategic Policing Requirement The Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) has been defined by the Home Secretary and identifies the national threats that police forces must address and ensure they are prepared for. The threats have been assessed and selected from the National Security Risk Assessment on the basis that they either affect multiple police force areas or may require action from multiple forces, resulting in a national response. These threats are identified as: public disorder civil emergencies organised crime terrorism large-scale cyber incidents As part of the response to the SPR, the National Policing Requirement (NPR) has been developed to detail the capacity and contribution, capability, consistency and connectivity required by individual police forces to counter the threats. The Commissioner and the Chief Constable must have due regard to the NPR and ensure that their police force is in a state of readiness to deal with any of the national threats. The Commissioner must ensure that sufficient funds are set aside to maintain their force s contribution under the SPR. This would include ensuring sufficient resilience and capacity to cover Sussex s contribution. The Commissioner will hold the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of this high-risk element of the business, which the public expects to be of the highest calibre, through an effective accountability framework. Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) will also continue to seek assurances that the preparation and delivery of the requirements set out in the SPR have been subject to a proportionate and risk-based testing and inspection regime. 12

13 Collaboration Sussex & Surrey Collaboration Sussex Police and Surrey Police have collaborated in a number of areas since With budget reductions facing both forces this approach will help to protect and even enhance front-line policing by reducing duplication, rationalising processes and streamlining management and support services. As a result the public of Sussex and Surrey, wherever they live, will receive the best possible service from the police. In October 2013, the Commissioner and Chief Constable agreed a joint collaborative vision with the Surrey Police & Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable of Surrey Police for how the two forces will work together. The vision commits to a future of: Surrey and Sussex Police working as one, operationally and organisationally, to enhance and improve services for the public whilst reducing costs and responding to local needs. Both forces already successfully collaborate on Major Crime, Forensics, Firearms, Fleet, Procurement and Insurance. The areas of Operational Dogs and Surveillance are currently being implemented, with Intelligence and Tasking and Digital Forensics currently being worked on. Consultative services have been used by both forces to develop how support services (Human Resources, Finance and Information Technology) should be delivered in the future and support the delivery of operational policing options. Future Commissioning & Collaboration The Commissioner will continue to work closely with the Surrey Police & Crime Commissioner to oversee collaborative work to ensure an effective service to the public. The Commissioner will be seeking opportunities in 2014/2015 to commission in an innovative way and collaborate where it is in the best interest of Sussex residents to do so. This will involve further collaborative work with Surrey Police and other partners within the police service but also with partners from other sectors in Sussex and beyond, including the further exploration of shared premises with partners and seeking the most effective use of the limited resources available to us all. 13

14 Our Approach Police, Engagement & Partnership Police Engagement Partnership This Police & Crime Plan defines the Commissioner s approach to her responsibilities in 2013/2017 and will be reviewed regularly. The diagram demonstrates how the Commissioner will approach the opportunities and challenges ahead, with three distinct elements: Engagement (engaging with communities), Partnership working and Police (holding the Chief Constable to account for the effectiveness of policing in Sussex). Key SPR = Strategic Policing Requirement KPS = Keeping People Safe NP = Neighbourhood Policing BUR = Best Use of Resources SS2015 = Serving Sussex 2015 CSPs = Partnerships LAs = Local Authorities SCJB = Sussex Criminal Justice Board YOS = Youth Offending Services Health = Health & Wellbeing Boards and National Health Service s & Engagement Witnesses ines Businesses NP Voluntary & Charitable Future Commissioning KPS Sector SPR Health Police & Crime Plan Commissioning Future Collaboration BUR CSPs Operational Delivery Plan KP S Police Partnership SS2015 LAs SCJB YOS 14

15 Police Police Police Engagement Partnership Sussex Police play a significant role in tackling and reducing crime, and the Chief Constable s Operational Delivery Plan sets out how operational policing will be delivered in Sussex, against the priorities, measures and budget set by the Commissioner, taking into account regional and national responsibilities and the needs of communities Sussex-wide. The Commissioner will hold the Chief Constable to account on behalf of the public in an open and transparent way at her monthly Performance & Accountability Meetings which are webcast. During the meetings the Commissioner questions the Chief Constable on Sussex Police s performance against the priorities and objectives set out in the Police & Crime Plan. The Commissioner will scrutinise police performance across all areas of front-line and support function delivery, achieving the ambitions of current (including Serving Sussex 2015) and future change programmes and the effectiveness with which Sussex Police delivers partnership working. The Commissioner will uphold standards in policing through the oversight of complaints handling, the investigation of complaints against the Chief Constable, the management of an effective Independent Custody Visiting Scheme and an Independent CCTV Monitoring Scheme. 15

16 Engagement Engagement Police The Commissioner s vision for community engagement is a local approach that is accessible, adaptable and reflects local need. Engagement The Commissioner has already developed effective working relationships and will continue to engage with communities, partners and Sussex Police to help shape service delivery across the community safety and criminal justice sectors. Partnership The Commissioner will also engage with external scrutineers such as Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary, the Independent Police Complaints Commissioner and external auditors. To ensure that all communities feel that their particular needs are understood, the Office of the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (OSPCC) will listen to, engage and work in partnership with organisations that represent local authorities, rural communities, businesses and the voluntary and charitable sector. 16

17 Partnership Partnership Police Engagement Partnership The Commissioner is uniquely placed to work closely with partnerships across Sussex to identify areas of success and to look for improvements where needed in order to prevent crime, reduce re-offending and improve public confidence. Through effective scrutiny, the Commissioner will work to ensure that policing in Sussex continues to be of a consistently high quality, accessible to all and that people are treated with fairness, respect and dignity. Successful partnership working means more can often be achieved together rather than working in isolation. There are many established and committed partnerships across Sussex striving to make our communities safer. The Commissioner will have regular dialogue with partners regarding a shared contribution to shared outcomes. 17

18 iquanta Sussex recorded crimes per 1,000 population 1 November 2012 to 31 October 2013 Keeping Sussex a low crime area Police Sussex is a low crime area and has seen year on year reductions in the overall levels of recorded crime for the past eight years, in line with national trends. This is as a result of police efforts and the close and effective partnerships across the county. However, it is only by working hard together with the public that Sussex can be made even safer. The chart below highlights the risk of being a victim of crime in Sussex in comparison to the Most Similar Group (MSG) of forces, based upon recorded crime data from iquanta. The MSG average is recorded crimes. Number of crimes per 1000 population MEASURE Reduce the recorded crimes per 1,000 population. Thames Avon & Hertfordshire Sussex Staffordshire Hampshire Essex Valley Leicestershire Somerset Recorded Crimes per 1000 population The Commissioner will work with police, partners and the public to keep the risk of being a victim of crime in Sussex low, prioritising those crimes that cause the most harm to communities and individuals. The Commissioner will support the effective and successful model of Neighbourhood Policing that is now well established in Sussex. The Commissioner would like to see an expansion of community involvement in community safety and policing, through the encouragement and ownership of police and crime related community budgets. The Commissioner acknowledges that assuring the safety and security of the communities across Sussex starts with Neighbourhood Policing but also recognises that Organised Crime Groups (OCGs), terrorism and domestic extremism have the potential to cause serious threats, harms and risks to local people across neighbourhoods and communities. The Commissioner will ensure that this protective services element of policing (which is often invisible) is not forgotten, and will hold the Chief Constable to account for identifying these OCGs and the criminals who belong to them, disrupting their activities, enforcing the law and confiscating their profits. 18

19 Engagement Partnership care is an important aspect of the way that crime is tackled. The Commissioner will engage with victims and witnesses to ensure they get the support they need from the point of the crime through to its resolution. s clearly state that they wish to be regularly updated regarding the progress of their cases with information that is both accurate and understandable (which includes being advised that there has been no change since the last update). The Commissioner will monitor the performance of Sussex Police in this regard. The Commissioner is represented at all of the Partnerships (CSPs) by members of the Office of the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner. This ensures that the Commissioner is kept informed of the progress, outcomes and decisions made by the CSPs. A Performance Framework is currently being developed for the CSPs which will enable the Commissioner to hold each of the individual partnerships to account for the delivery of the priorities outlined in this Plan. 19

20 Commissioning new and lasting initiatives to reduce re-offending Police Partnership The Commissioner is committed to ensuring that Sussex Police and its partners tackle crime and reduce re-offending. The Commissioner will look for innovation and expects Sussex to lead the way with new and lasting initiatives and effective offender management. Preventative initiatives can often be more effective in the longer term in reducing crime than shorter term enforcement activity, but by definition take a longer time to begin to show results. The Commissioner will work with police and partners to ensure that, over the term of her office, new and lasting initiatives to prevent crime and re-offending are encouraged. I believe that the future of crime reduction lies in prevention and partnership work. I want to place a much greater emphasis on this during my term of office, thereby benefiting Sussex for years to come Katy Bourne Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner The Commissioner also acknowledges that Early Intervention is fundamental to reducing criminality and the ability to identify those most at risk is a significant tool in crime prevention. The Commissioner will support early intervention policies, such as the Government s Troubled Families Programme, by working with partners to commission services and share data. Every offender who becomes an ex-offender means safer streets and fewer victims. Turning people away from crime, through Integrated Offender Management, also means less pressure on the stretched resources of the criminal justice system. To achieve this we must all work together in order to not only punish offenders but also to help provide them with an opportunity for successful reintegration into the community. The Commissioner will support and champion initiatives which positively contribute towards changes in offender behaviour and strengthen public confidence. An example is the Payback Scheme, where offenders perform unpaid work that benefits the community. 20

21 Taking account of community priorities and their contributing factors (such as alcohol & drugs) Police Partnership The Commissioner acknowledges that drugs and alcohol can have a significant and negative impact on communities, families and individuals. The Commissioner will ensure that Sussex Police continues to work effectively with others to tackle both supply and demand. The Commissioner recognises that a high proportion of crimes are committed by individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol, in order to fund an addiction or to profit from the illegal distribution of drugs. The Commissioner will seek opportunities to work with partners to develop and coordinate work to reduce the harm to individuals, their families and the community caused by the misuse of drugs and alcohol, including the Drug & Alcohol Action Teams. The Commissioner has identified four community priorities that she would like to tackle including Anti-Social Behaviour, Domestic Abuse & Violence, Road and Cyber Crime. 21

22 Priority 1: Anti-Social Behaviour Anti-social behaviour damages quality of life, erodes confidence and blights residents, communities and businesses. Responding to and tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for the public and the Commissioner. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 introduced two new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour: the Remedy and the Trigger. The Commissioner will play a key role in convening agencies to build these measures locally, and in designing what they may include. Remedy This will provide victims of low level crime and anti-social behaviour with a say regarding the out-of-court punishment of offenders. These new powers will be agreed locally by the Commissioner following a consultation process with victims, partners and Sussex Police to define remedies that are more consistent, proportionate and locally relevant to Sussex. The Remedy will also assist the Commissioner in making the approach towards low-level crime and antisocial behaviour more responsive and accountable to the victims and public in Sussex. This approach also ensures that victims get justice swiftly and the offender has to face immediate consequences for their actions, which could make them less likely to reoffend in the future. Trigger This will give victims and communities the right to require that action is taken where an ongoing anti-social behaviour problem has not been addressed. It helps ensure that no-one suffering the harmful effects of anti-social behaviour and hate crime falls through the net. The trigger has been successfully piloted in Brighton & Hove and the Commissioner will be reviewing the thresholds and response time for victims. 22

23 Priority 2: Domestic Abuse & Violence Domestic abuse & violence is an under-reported crime that is still largely hidden, occurring behind closed doors, across all communities, all age groups and all types of relationship. There were 6,412 recorded crimes of domestic abuse and violence in However, many more of these crimes do not get reported at all or are not reported early enough in the cycle of abuse. The impact is far reaching, impacting on children, relationships and society. All partners in Sussex are determined to help beat this vicious cycle and to change attitudes and behaviour and increase the confidence of victims to report crimes and incidents when they happen. The Commissioner has worked with Sussex Police to become the first police force in England and Wales to gain White Ribbon Award status. This is in recognition of their commitment to the global White Ribbon Campaign to ensure that men take more responsibility for reducing the level of violence against women. Sussex Police, partners and voluntary organisations have a shared objective to increase the reporting of domestic abuse and violence and the Commissioner will play a very active and high profile role in supporting that objective. s must have trust that they will be respected and protected and be aware of the help and support that is available to them. The Commissioner is determined to ensure that the approach taken by Sussex Police and criminal justice partners to tackle domestic abuse and violence does not just remain a well-intentioned statement. The Commissioner will ensure that improvements in the way that victims are supported are driven by Sussex Police and partners and that offenders are vigorously pursued and brought to justice. The Commissioner is also aware that Sussex Police is actively looking to improve its service and share information with partner agencies that provide the Independent Domestic Violence Adviser service, including RISE (Brighton & Hove), CRI (East Sussex) and WORTH (West Sussex). The Commissioner will continue to oversee the work to understand the victim experience across the criminal justice system. The Commissioner will be closely scrutinising the contribution of Sussex Police to this objective and will be taking a keen interest in feedback from victims and witnesses about their experience of the police, the criminal justice system and other partners in order to help shape and improve services for the victims of this horrendous crime. 23

24 Priority 3: Road The Commissioner understands the importance that the residents of Sussex place on road safety, particularly around anti-social driving, speeding and parking. The Commissioner also acknowledges that the responsibility for road safety is shared by every road user in Sussex. Operation Crackdown is a joint initiative run by Sussex Police and the SSRP which provides the communities of Sussex with an opportunity to report specific instances of anti-social driving and enables Sussex Police to develop intelligence regarding repeat offenders, vehicles, times and locations which can then be used to plan, target and deploy police resources. Operation Crackdown was relaunched in 2013 to make it quicker and easier for members of the public to report incidents of anti-social driving through an online, self-service facility. Each report has a unique reference number which enables individuals to check the progress of any submitted reports. The Commissioner is fully supportive of the work carried out by the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership (SSRP) to tackle and prevent the main causes of serious injuries and deaths on the roads of Sussex. Changing driver attitudes and behaviour through a combination of education, engineering and enforcement is essential to ensure long-term improvements in road safety because enforcement alone does not provide a sustainable solution. The Commissioner would like to see communities becoming more involved in playing their part in making the roads of Sussex safer through initiatives such as Operation Crackdown and Speed Watch. Speed Watch engages communities in addressing speed related offending. Local volunteers join together and monitor traffic speeds at identified locations in the community and pass the recorded information to Sussex Police which results in a warning letter being sent to the registered keeper. The Speed Watch initiative has been shown to act as a deterrent for people exceeding local speed limits and enhancing the quality of life for local residents. The Commissioner regularly scrutinises the performance of the Road Policing Unit at her meetings with the Chief Constable and acknowledges that safer roads and communities can be created by working together and sharing the roads responsibly. 24

25 Priority 4: Cyber Crime The Commissioner recognises that whilst criminality is adapting to exploit the expanding digital environment, it is generally accepted that policing and legislation are behind the curve. In the digital world there is a wide range of cyber crime taking place, from individuals who have been the victims of financial scams or identity fraud, to organised crime and child exploitation. People now live more of their lives online and this trend is set to continue as younger generations, who have grown-up with technology, move into greater positions of financial and social power. The Commissioner also acknowledges that the true level of this crime is under-reported and further work is ongoing nationally to assess the total risk and harm. The Commissioner recognises that there is a need for Sussex Police to develop and increase their capacity and capability to tackle effectively all types of cyber crime and is working closely with Surrey Police to develop a joint Cyber Crime Strategy, and plans, to tackle this threat. 25

26 MEASURE Improve victim satisfaction in the overall experience with the criminal justice system. Improve the experience that victims and witnesses have of the criminal justice system Police Sussex Police and the Sussex Criminal Justice Board partners are already working hard to place victims and witnesses at the heart of the criminal justice system. The Commissioner is now the Chair of the SCJB and will continue to work closely with partners to achieve this shared objective. The Commissioner is fully supportive of Restorative Justice initiatives that bring victims and offenders together. Resolution gives the police the option of dealing with low-level and uncontested offences, without having to go through the criminal justice system. Resolution puts the needs of the victim first and ensures that they become part of the solution. This enables victims to explain to offenders how they have been affected by a crime, to get answers to their questions and to receive an apology. It also gives offenders the chance to understand the consequences of what they have done and allows them to make amends directly to the victims that they have harmed. This has resulted in lower rates of re-offending, increased victim satisfaction and reduced costs and bureaucracy. A multi-agency Resolution Scrutiny Panel independently assesses and monitors the use of this option and identifies potential areas for development and good practice. 26

27 Partnership The Commissioner is the and Witness Advocate for Sussex and as such, is a new and effective voice for victims and witnesses. The Commissioner will work with partners and Sussex Police to help ensure that support for victims is consistent, available throughout the criminal justice process and that victims and witnesses are treated in accordance with their needs and with respect, dignity and professionalism by all agencies involved. The Commissioner has established a s Commissioning Steering Group to ensure that the best services are commissioned for victims, witnesses and their families across Sussex and Surrey. From 2014/2015 the Commissioner will receive the central government funding for all victim services to locally commission services. The Commissioner will continue to meet on a regular basis with victim service providers to shape future service provision and to monitor the benefits to victims and witnesses across the county. The Commissioner is committed to increasing the availability of Restorative Justice to more victims of crime at various stages of the criminal justice system. Restorative Justice has the potential to break the destructive pattern of behaviour of those that offend by encouraging them to confront the full extent of the emotional and physical damage they have caused to their victims. The Commissioner will work with Sussex Police to expand the provision of Restorative Justice service available. For many victims, seeing the perpetrator punished for their crime helps to bring closure, enabling them to get on with their lives. For others, the judicial process is not enough, leaving them frustrated that they were not able to describe the hurt, stress and anxiety caused by the crime to the one individual who needed to hear it most - the offender. The Commissioner will work with Sussex Police and partners from statutory and voluntary sectors and, through the collective management of the Sussex Criminal Justice Board, will increase capability and capacity to deliver more restorative services to victims in Sussex. 27

28 Enhance, develop and commission initiatives to bring justice for victims Engagement The Commissioner acknowledges that more can be done to ensure that those who have suffered the greatest impact from crime, including those who are persistently targeted and those who are the most vulnerable receive the support they need. Partnership The Commissioner will continue to promote the Government s Swift and Sure Justice reforms in respect of minimising court delays and giving victims and witnesses the opportunity to provide evidence via video links. 28

29 Effective policing, responsive to the needs of victims and the vulnerable Police The Commissioner is determined to ensure that the policing in Sussex is effective, efficient and responsive to the needs of the public and will hold the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of this operational policing. surveys consistently show that the people of Sussex value effective and responsive policing and the Commissioner acknowledges that working towards safer communities will not only involve the police, but a wide range of service delivery partners. The Commissioner holds the Chief Constable to account for Sussex Police call handling performance as part of her monthly Performance & Accountability Meetings. The Commissioner recognises that more can be done to strengthen the relationship between the police and the business community. The Commissioner is encouraged by the development of a Business Crime Strategy for Sussex Police which sets out the focus to reduce business crime in partnership with local businesses. 29

30 Partnership The Commissioner will work with partners to raise the awareness of the most vulnerable in our communities. The Commissioner will work with the Business Crime Reduction Partnerships and Local Enterprise Partnerships across Sussex to prevent crime and disorder which affects businesses, their employees, customers and the community. This will enable businesses to work more effectively with the police and local authorities to create safe and stable business environments. The Commissioner is supportive of Employer Supported Policing (ESP) which is a partnership between employers, their staff and the police to support Special Constables in their duties to increase public safety and confidence. The Commissioner would like to see more businesses introducing ESP in Sussex. The Commissioner is committed to ensuring that rural crimes are taken as seriously as urban crimes. The geographic make-up of Sussex means that it is essential that a proportionate focus is placed on tackling rural crime and the Commissioner will hold the Chief Constable to account for ensuring that an appropriate balance between what is happening in rural areas and urban centres exists. The Commissioner will engage with rural communities and work in partnership with organisations such as Action in Rural Sussex, the Countryside Landowners Association, the National Farmers Union, the Countryside Alliance, the South Downs National Park and the City and County Councils to tackle rural crime collectively. 30

31 MEASURE Increase the reporting of domestic abuse and violence, serious sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and hate crimes. Build trust in the police and the criminal justice system Police The Commissioner is determined to ensure that policing in Sussex is effective and is responsive to the particular needs of victims and the public. It is imperative that victims are treated according to their individual needs, rather than according to a crime category which they appear to fit. This is particularly important in terms of increasing the reporting of under-reported crimes and incidents, such as domestic abuse and violence, serious sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and hate crimes. The following increases in recorded crimes were demonstrated throughout the Commissioner s first year in office: Domestic abuse and violence & serious sexual offences +2% Hate crimes +33% The Commissioner will continue to work with Sussex Police and partners to increase levels of reporting amongst these crimes so that they can be tackled more effectively. As part of the Commissioner s pledge to increase police visibility, recruitment for 120 police officers has been opened for the first time in three and a half years. In addition, processes for 30 Police Support Officers, 32 civilian investigators and 160 Sussex Specials have commenced and successful candidates will be in post before the end of The Commissioner holds quarterly review meetings with the Professional Standards Department within Sussex Police to discuss officer conduct, gifts and hospitality to ensure that the highest possible standards are maintained for policing in England and Wales, as set out in the Code of Ethics which has been developed by the College of Policing. Increased reporting 31

32 Engagement The Commissioner will continue to engage with the people of Sussex to ensure that local policing is effective, efficient and responsive to the needs of the public. The Commissioner acknowledges that communities need to be reassured that procedures are undertaken correctly, that the police do their work effectively, politely and respectfully and that satisfactory outcomes are achieved. Sussex is a safe place to live, yet many residents, remain disproportionately afraid of being a victim of crime. They need to feel confident that they have a police force that they can trust to act with integrity and impartiality, that responds effectively when required and treats them fairly, professionally and according to their needs. The Commissioner has created a Youth Commission, with a cohort of 29 individuals, to engage with and gather the views of young people from across the county.their findings and conclusions will be presented to the Commissioner with the aim of informing, supporting and challenging the priorities set out in the Plan. The five priorities of the Youth Commission are to: improve the relationship between the police & young people raise awareness of the context and root causes of youth offending tackle the habitual usage of drugs & alcohol by young people address bullying in all its forms, including online understand how to improve support for young people who are victims of abuse, sexual assault and rape 32

33 Partnership Although the Commissioner is unable to influence sentencing directly, she will be working with Sussex Police, Support and other criminal justice partners to address gaps in the service provision across Sussex and to build trust in the police and the criminal justice system. Where crime occurs, the Commissioner and partners will work to ensure that perpetrators receive swift and sure justice and wherever possible provide reparation to the community or the individual that is harmed. The Commissioner is fully supportive of the work carried out by Crimestoppers to provide individuals with a secure and anonymous means of passing on information about crime to the police to make their communities a safer place to live. The Commissioner has outlined a Sussex-wide approach towards troubled families, in partnership with the uppertier authorities and the Department for Communities and Local Government. 33

34 Remove proceeds of crime from criminals and reinvest that money in our communities Police The Commissioner believes that every power available should be used to make life difficult for criminals and to make sure that they do not profit from crime. That money is to be reinvested into worthwhile community safety initiatives to help reduce crime further. The Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) established the Assets Recovery Agency, to allow for confiscation orders to be placed on persons who benefit from criminal conduct. Under the Home Office Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme agencies get back a percentage of what they recover. The following table demonstrates the total proceeds of crime that have been confiscated from convicted criminals in Sussex across the last 3 years and the amount that has been specifically returned to Sussex Police. POCA Amounts 2010/ / /13 Actual Collections 3.0m 1.9m 1.6m Returned to Sussex Police 0.5m 0.5m 0.5m The Commissioner expects Sussex Police and partner agencies such as Her Majesty s Revenue and Customs and the Courts to target criminals and to increase the amount confiscated and then reinvested in Sussex. This has included providing the Young Witness Service with a funding boost of 90,000 to support young people attending court either as victims of crime or witnesses to it. The Commissioner will be seeking further opportunities to reinvest this money back into the communities that have been impacted most and plans to create a mechanism to achieve this are under development. The Commissioner has ensured that money accumulated through the Police Properties Act (1897) is used effectively in initiatives that prevent and deter crime or help the victims of crime in meaningful ways. 34

35 Encourage the development of volunteering to make us Safer in Sussex Police Sussex Police is complemented and enhanced by a significant body of volunteers which make up the extended police family, through their everyday work alongside officers and staff. The Commissioner is delighted that the OSPCC has been accredited with the Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard for Volunteer Management for the Independent Custody Visiting scheme and an Independent CCTV Monitoring scheme. The Commissioner believes that volunteers play a valuable role in our communities and expects to be a leader in the delivery and coordination of voluntary services to the criminal justice and community safety initiatives across Sussex. Commissioner would like to increase the number of young people involved in this scheme. The Commissioner is fully supportive of Sussex Police s Accreditation Scheme. The scheme provides a framework for the Chief Constable to accredit employers and employees, who are not employed by the police, in discharging functions aimed at community safety and which tackle crime, disorder, public nuisance and antisocial behaviour. The Commissioner will encourage and develop this scheme to increase the numbers of volunteers across Sussex and strengthen existing working relationships. The Commissioner is closely involved in the development and implementation of plans for Sussex Police to increase the number of Special Constables to 450 by November There are 180 Sussex Police Cadets aged 14 to 18 taking part in a programme of practical and police related activities every week across the county. The 35

36 Engagement The Commissioner has launched the Safer in Sussex Fund which provides financial support to local projects that tackle crime and improve community safety. Applications from individuals, local community groups and organisations that can demonstrate how they are tackling the issues in their area that support the priorities set out in the Plan are encouraged. Partnership The Commissioner acknowledges the valuable contribution that volunteers make towards keeping their communities safe. There are thousands of volunteers across the county, with many working in organisations that specialise in crime reduction, victim services and the rehabilitation of offenders. This work is championed by the Commissioner who will continue to encourage the development of volunteering throughout Sussex. The Commissioner will work in partnership with SpeakUp Forum and the voluntary and community sector to understand better the social value that is provided by nonprofit organisations over and above what is directly paid for when delivering services. The Commissioner will consider this social value when making decisions about procurement, as encouraged in the Services (Social Value) Act (2012). The Commissioner will encourage and engage with Neighbourhood Watch, Farm Watch, Speed Watch and other community Watch schemes, to ensure our volunteers are recognised and valued for the part they play in making us safer in Sussex. They are fundamentally important partners in gathering intelligence and preventing crime, especially in the more rural areas of Sussex. 36

37 MEASURE Working with Sussex Police and partners to meet the financial challenges ahead whilst delivering, and Crime & and identifying opportunities to improve. Improve efficiency across the criminal justice system Police The Commissioner is required to hold the Chief Constable to account for securing value for money in exercising his functions across all areas of policing. The Commissioner will continue to oversee the Serving Sussex 2015 programme within Sussex Police and will work hard to identify waste and inefficiencies whilst ensuring that savings are reinvested into policing. The Commissioner has reviewed all major contracts that were previously agreed by Sussex Police Authority. In particular, a review of the Private Finance Initiative Custody Contract has resulted in savings of 0.98m being achieved. The Commissioner is responsible for the Sussex Police estate (land and property) and has unveiled a comprehensive 5-year estates strategy. This is a 20m investment programme for police buildings to improve the accessibility and visibility of neighbourhood policing, looking at how services can be delivered more efficiently and effectively. Sussex Police have replaced their Information Technology systems with a single system called Niche as part of the Smarter Systems Programme. This allows officers and staff to work more flexibly by bringing together all of the information in one place and reducing bureaucracy because the information only needs to be input once. Front-line officers are also able to access the system from any location, including remote use through laptops and tablets, which enables them to spend more of their time out in the communities across Sussex. The Commissioner will seek opportunities to invest in and develop the Information Technology and mobile information capabilities available to police officers. This approach will endeavour to maximise productivity by ensuring that frontline officers spend more of their time out on the streets in communities instead of in the police stations. 37