Eastbourne Joint Action Group

The Joint Action Group (JAG) was launched by the Eastbourne Crime Reduction Partnership in October 2005 to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour within Eastbourne.

The Joint Action Group (JAG) meetings bring together crime and enforcement staff across all agencies to review up-to-date crime ‘hot spot’ data and agree joined-up solutions.

Meeting every two weeks with a view to resolving issues ‘fast-time’, the JAG aims to target joint resources to tackle some of most important quality of life issues for Eastbourne Residents.

Membership of the group includes representatives from the Fire and Rescue Service, Drug and Alcohol Action Team, Environmental Health, Housing, Trading Standards, Amenities and Contract Management, Community Enforcement Team, partnerships Anti-Social Behaviour Officer, Prevent and Deter Officer, Violent Crime Officer, and Business Crime Manager, and local Councillors,

Acting Chief Inspector Steve Brookman said, “The Joint Action Group is an excellent forum for all the partners in crime reduction to meet together, discuss and action solutions to current issues affecting Eastbourne. The fact that the active partners meet so regularly increases their effectiveness and reduces bureaucracy.  I would encourage all elected members to bring issues affecting their communities to the JAG”.

The key to the JAGs success has been its ‘Fast time’ responses to community issues and concerns many of which are solved within a 2 week time frame; this has all been down to a multi-agency approach. Recent successes have included…

Tackling drug dealing within the College Road Car Park was dealt with through a joint operation between Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and Eastbourne Borough Council. It became apparent during the investigations into the College Road Car Park problems that the lights in the Car park were not being switched on during the evening.

Work in locations around the town to identify and remove graffiti.

A number of successful test purchasing operations have been carried out jointly between Sussex Police, East Sussex County Council, Trading Standards and Eastbourne Borough Council’s, Licensing Team. The last test purchasing operation resulted in NO sales of alcohol to the underage Police Cadet. Joint Licensing operations had been carried out between Eastbourne Borough Council, Sussex Police and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service at various premises throughout the town.

The JAG has also assisted resolving a number of high profile neighbour nuisance issues.

Following on from the success of the Eastbourne JAG a number of other local authorities have adopted our model of multi-agency working. These include Wealden, Mid-Sussex, Rother and Hastings Crime Reduction Partnerships.