Arun’s policing future in the spotlight during web chat

QUESTIONS about anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse and the future of policing levels in Littlehampton have been answered Arun district’s police commander.
Arun District commander, Chief Inspector Jane Derrick.Arun District commander, Chief Inspector Jane Derrick.
Arun District commander, Chief Inspector Jane Derrick.

Chief Inspector Jane Derrick was answering queries about the future of policing in the district during a live web cast, last Wednesday (April 3). She was probed on more than a dozen issues facing the police in Arun.

With concerns about the ever-growing population of Littlehampton, one user asked Insp Derrick why the force was taking the decision to close its base in East Street, and move its neighbourhood policing team into the Arun Civic Centre, in Maltravers Road.

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Insp Derrick responded, saying: “It’s not about where an officer books on duty, it’s about being immersed in their local community, so they will need to meet with other colleagues, but I’m very clear that their place of work is out in their community and I’m very keen on reinforcing that.”

Other concerns revolved around the force’s tightening budget. One person asked if more resources should be put into emergency response policing, rather than in “less vital community issues”.

However, Insp Derrick pointed out that policing wasn’t simply about combating issues when and where they happened.

She noted that it was also about tackling the root causes of crime, which she suggested community-based officers were key to resolving.

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“Policing is about long-term problem-solving, which takes away the causes of crime and without that our emergency calls would go up and we wouldn’t be able to focus on extremely vulnerable people and repeat offenders,” she said.

Insp Derrick also argued that encouraging victims of domestic abuse to come forward and report the crimes against them was a key priority for the police in Arun and, in recent weeks, officers had visited schools in an effort to improve communication and links in the community.