“Anti-social behaviour continues to be a concern”: New District Commander for Chichester and Arun addresses concerns in Littlehampton

Chief Inspector Hutchings was appointed District Commander for Chichester and Arun in September 2026, having joined the force 23 years ago. While she hails from the Midlands, she has lived in West Sussex for more than 20 years and says she has “a real sense of how people are feeling.”

“I’m newly in post and have been here for two months now,” she said. “In terms of my priorities, they are around the force priorities – so to protect our communities, catch criminals and deliver an outstanding service.”

When asked which issues stand out most, CI Hutchings responded that anti-social behaviour is not only a real concern, but is the most visible issue to residents.

“I suppose it’s the perception,” she said. “You don’t see burglary, for example, as much as you see anti-social behaviour, so it’s the perception of those crimes that we really need to work on.”

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is legally defined as conduct that causes or is likely to cause alarm, distress or harassment to a person not of the same household, and covers activities from environmental damage and noise nuisance to public disorder and verbal harassment.

A review of the Arun Business Crime Reduction Partnership by Arun District Council showed that reports of ASB in Littlehampton and Bognor Regis have increased, with 486 in 2024, 498 in 2025 and 618 so far in 2026.

Councillors at the review also questioned whether ASB has increased in Littlehampton’s neighbouring village of Rustington.

CI Hutchings explained that a major priority for her is cracking down on ASB, whether that be the use of e-bikes and e-scooters or drug use and street drinking.

“We’ve seized 14 e-bikes and e-scooters in Bognor alone, so we are taking robust action,” she said. “There’s now a force-wide operation, Operation Scramble, to support that. So we are not only looking at it from my local policing teams, but with the support of our wider policing teams.”

She added that drug use and street drinking are often more complex, with Sussex Police working alongside charities and councils to support people and tackle concerns.

The new District Commander really emphasised the importance of reporting crime, explaining that it is the most effective way to build a picture of ongoing issues within the community.

“I know it sometimes sounds like a stuck record, but we build a picture, and that picture then allows me to target the resources that I can manage in the right places – and also seek further support from other force resources,” she said.

In terms of tangible action, she explained that ASB legislation, nighttime economy patrols, and policing teams using their powers and working alongside action groups and councils are ways in which she is planning to tackle ASB and create a safer environment for residents.

“I take it really seriously. I’m super passionate about it,” she said.

CI Hutchings added that Sussex Police holds regular meetings where residents can share concerns and learn what policing teams are doing in their communities – something she hopes to see more people attending under her post.

“The main thing I’d love to achieve is that our community feels safe here, and that we’re actually really proud of where we live, work and visit,” she said.

“I want to really encourage engagement – to increase the number of people completing victim surveys when they’ve had an interaction with Sussex Police, and the number coming to our engagement events. [I want to see] people reaching out and sharing their concerns, so that we can work together.”