18 April 2008
Since June 2006, new tactics and systems introduced by Sussex Police District Commanders working closely with the Eastbourne Crime Reduction Partnership (ECRP) have led to major reductions in acquisitive crime.
New Crime fighting systems saw a 10% reduction in crime across Eastbourne and a detection rate of 33% during 2006/7. Reductions continued throughout 2007/8 with a further 8% reduction in crime and an increased total detection rate of 39%.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Spokesperson for Housing Health and Community Services Councillor Margret Bannister says, “One of our key priorities is to continue to make Eastbourne a safer place to live, work and visit. These results show the importance of effective partnerships and high quality policing at local level.
Despite significant budget pressures, we have been able to target additional resources to help make Eastbourne safer and provide support for communities in the following ways:
- Additional community enforcement officer
- Increased support for Noise Nuisance Service
- Devolved spending for local initiatives”
The Borough Council’s Cabinet was informed that all Crime Reduction Partnerships were required by the Government to set reduction targets for British Crime Survey (BCS) Comparator Crimes based on the 2003 / 04 performance year. The target set for Eastbourne was an 18% reduction in BCS crimes by the end of March 2008. As at the end of February 2008 an overall 20% reduction had already been achieved.
It is in the area of acquisitive crime where particular successes were reported:
| BCS Crime Type | Target % Reduction by March 2008 | Actual % February 2008 |
| Domestic Burglary | - 13% | - 68% |
| Theft from a Vehicle | - 21% | - 62% |
| Theft of Vehicle | - 21% | - 54% |
| Personal Robbery | - 21% | - 64% |
Sussex Police, Chief Inspector Dick Coates, District Commander of Eastbourne, says, “These reductions in crime are fantastic news for the people of Eastbourne.
Effective partnership working has made this possible. The support of the public within the town should not go unnoticed as well. I look forward to continued partnership working in the coming years. Neighbourhood policing is a key element of this. Local Policing - Keeping Eastbourne Safe.”
Neil Fuller, Chairman of the Eastbourne Crime Reduction Partnership, says, “As a consequence of such partnership focused local Policing we gather that we are one of only a small number of partnerships in the region to deliver such results. We are not complacent however and will continue to target community safety priorities across Eastbourne with an emphasis on:
- Town Centre issues, including non injury Public Place Violent Crime
- Criminal damage and anti-social behaviour ‘hotspot’ issues across Eastbourne
- Working closely with young people and local communities”
