Police numbers boosted in Sidley

The objective is to counter anti-social behaviour and violence which has defying falling crime rates by soaring by 36 per cent in the town.

A team of three Police Officers, two Police Community Support Officers and two Special Constables is being assigned to Sidley full-time to work with the community and other agencies.

The aim is to make Sidley a safer place to live and work.

The news comes a week after the announcement that a Dispersal Order has been obtained for 38 Sidley Streets, a number since increased by the addition of Wakehams Close.

Bexhill police commander Inspector Dick Coates stressed this week: "This does not affect the policing of other areas of Bexhill and they will continue to receive the same level of service."

The police officers are PC Steve Croft and PC Paul Graham. The third full-time officer will join them in a few weeks once they have been selected.

The job has been advertised to all officers on the Hastings and Rother Division.

Steve Croft and Paul Graham join Police Community Support Officers Lucy Goodfellow and Natasha Pengilly who have already had responsibility for Sidley.

Two Special Constables are also being assigned to Sidley to bolster the support.

The team has been set up after consultation by Inspector Coates with local residents, the newly-formed Local Action Team and with the help and support of Sidley Residents' Association. Last week's Dispersal Order announcement was welcomed in the Sidley area. Inspector Coates says he has had a great deal of support from local people and has listened to their concerns and expectations of the police service locally.

He now hopes that formation of the team will demonstrate his commitment to local policing and that of Sussex Police.

"The team has a lot of work to get on with but I am confident that with the dedicated staff I have a difference will soon be seen within Sidley. We will work hard with our partners to make a difference.

"The team is the latest addition to the ongoing action within Sidley. In the last few months the new Community Support Officers have been assigned to the area. Anti-Social Behaviour Orders have been issued banning certain people from Bexhill.

"A Dispersal Order for Sidley is currently in force. A number of warrants have been executed at a range of houses within the area plus the introduction of the mobile CCTV vehicle to the area.

"Police remain dedicated to reducing crime."

Inspector Coates said that, overall, crime in Bexhill has dropped by more than four per cent this year. "Burglary is down by 51.4% - which is 213 fewer people to face this problem.

"Car crime is down by 29.1 per cent - which is 139 fewer people affected.

"But is it violent crime which is on the increase. It is up by 36% and that is mainly due to anti-social behaviour.

"As well as maintaining those reductions we now need to tackle anti-social behaviour and criminal damage which make us a large proportion of calls to the police. Crime is low in Bexhill but we aim to reduce it even further and if a crime does occur we aim to detect it and place the offenders before the courts.

"Bexhill is a safe place to live and the team of officers at Bexhill aim to keep it that way."

Many people have told police that things have improved in Sidley in the last few months, says the Inspector. "This may be so, but we still suffer anti-social behaviour and minor crime in the area. This is not acceptable and the aim of all these measures is to reduce that.

"I fully believe the measures will have the desired effect.

"The Local Action Team and Sidley Residents' Association continue to work very hard on a number of measures behind the scenes in partnership with the police and other agencies and their work will also be seen in the area in the coming months.

"I hope that the public continue to support the police in the area because we cannot tackle this on our own. We need their support. We will endeavour to do all we can."