Ex-Eastbourne detective's petition over '˜heartbreaking' state of policing

Ex Detective Chief Superintendent of Sussex Police and Detective Inspector at Eastbourne CID Kevin Moore is criticising cuts to the service which he says is in crisis.

Thousands have signed his petition addressed to Home Secretary Sajid Javid, which calls for a Royal Commission into the service which he was part of for almost 40 years.

He says government cuts to frontline policing have been ‘heartbreaking’ and crime is on the rise.

Outspoken Eastbourne officer sparks debate over frontline policing in Sussex

The Change.org petition says, “I care deeply about protecting our communities and the state of policing and it’s heartbreaking to see the cuts being made.

“In this country we’ve lost 25,000 police officers since 2010. And the effects are clear to see – with more than 91 per cent of crimes taking place without anyone getting charged.

“It feels now like policing is in crisis with hundreds of officers leaving well before retirement. Without urgent change, it will only get worse and put us all a risk.”

He is calling for no less than a ‘root and branch’ review of the entire police system, and changes to make sure it is ‘properly funded’.

Mr Moore is part of a campaign involving 180 retired officers called Retired Officers Who Care.

He continues, “This will be the first review of its kind since 1960. Policing and the demands placed upon it have changed radically since that time - especially with the rise in technology.

“The British public has a right to a police force which has the funding it needs to keeps us all safe and secure.”

Earlier this year he spoke out in support of a current officer who called staffing levels ‘not safe’.

Eastbourne PC Dave Elliot sparked a debate when he wrote on Twitter about his experience dealing with a Saturday night of assaults, weapons, and domestic incidents with ‘minimum staffing levels’.

He said, “Not safe or practical for those working, and something needs to be done.”

More than 160,000 people have signed Mr Moore’s petition, available at www.change.org

•A Royal Commission is a major formal public inquiry appointed by the Crown on recommendation of the government