New inspector wants to increase public confidence in Bognor police

A new inspector wants to put policing into the community in Bognor Regis.

Inspector Clare McKnight became the town's first police officer of that rank to take charge of PCSOs and neighbourhood PCs.

She is preparing to meet Bersted Parish Council in answer to its members' complaints about policing in their area.

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Contacting the council was on her list of things to do last week. The anger of the councillors was reported in the Observer last Thursday.

Insp McKnight said: "I want to increase public confidence in the way we police Bognor.

"I want to ensure my members of staff are out and about as much

as possible and that people know their names.

"I want members of the public to feel that, when they speak with us, they feel we will respond appropriately and reassure them."

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This will be through regular contributions to the Observer, council noticeboards and local newsletters.

Insp McKnight, 40, said her officers' priorities would be those issues which the public wanted tackled. Around the top of the list are likely to be anti-social behaviour and parking.

But she also wanted her officers' to have greater contact with

residents to help people realise they need not be frightened of becoming a crime victim.

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Older people, in particular, were being cowed unnecessarily by fears of being attacked or robbed.

"Bognor is a nice place to live," she said. "It compares very favourably for its amount of crime when it is compared with other towns of a similar size around the country.

"We are among the lowest for burglary and the other crimes which really affect people the most.

"I've already come across elderly people scared to go out at night. But being attacked in the street around Bognor is very rare.

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"It's a shame the public don't realise that. Part of my job is to ensure they do.

"There are problems that need to be addressed. But, by and large, the personal violence crime which occurs in other areas does not happen here."

Insp McKnight began her current job at the start of June. She has 22 years' experience in Sussex Police. It is part-time at the moment but the hours could be increased.

She wanted to return to Bognor having worked at the London Road police station in several previous roles.

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Her time in uniform has also seen her serve at Littlehampton, Brighton, Worthing and Chichester. She has been an inspector for eight years. Her last role was as performance inspector at the local HQ at Worthing.

She has 15 police community support officers, eight police officers and two sergeants, soon to be joined by a third, under her command.

When PCSOs started in Bognor about six years ago, they were commanded by an inspector who also handled the 999 response teams.

That role was split last year, but the community policing inspector in Bognor also looked after Littlehampton and Arundel.

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The role has again been divided into two geographic areas based on Bognor and the two other towns.

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