Sussex Police Force management statement 2018

Contents

1. Foreword
2. Force management statement summary
3. FMS sections
Section 1: Responding to the Public page 1
Section 2: Prevention and deterrence page 11
Section 3: Investigations page 17
Section 4: Protecting vulnerable people page 32
Section 5: Managing offenders page 48
Section 6: Managing serious and organised crime page 57
Section 7: Major events page 65
Section 8: Wellbeing page 83
Section 9: ICT and information management page 86
Section 10: Force-wide functions page 96
Section 11: Finance page 121
4. Separate appendix 1
Section 12: Collaboration
5. Separate appendix 2
Draft Sussex Police Operational Delivery Plan 2018-19

Note:
a) Areas collaborated with Surrey Police are indicated as such.
b) Unless stated, data used within the individual sections is from January 2018.

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 1. Foreword

I am pleased to provide the following document, Sussex Police’s 2018 Force management statement (FMS) submission
to the HMICFRS. It comprises:
1. A summary Force level view of demand, capacity and capability, the challenges the Force faces and how it
intends to meet them. This Force view has been composed following an analysis of the Internal Sections.
2. The Internal Sections of the FMS constitute the detail behind the summary. These are detailed assessments
for key areas of the Force and are in line with HMICFRS’ guidance issued in March 2018.
The production of the FMS has been a complex and valuable exercise for the Force in this pilot year. It has refined our
understanding of demand and we have used it to inform our internal conversations about workforce planning.
Our recent change programmes, through which we have re-shaped our policing model, as well as the 2018 precept
uplift, mean that the Force is well placed to meet the challenges that lie ahead. However we recognise new threats
such as modern slavery and cyber-crime require us to constantly seek new ways to improve our service; new ways to
equip our staff with skills and kit, and; new ways to manage ever-increasing demand better, keeping the public first in
all that we do.
This document represents a significant investment by the organisation to understand and present a statement and
explanation of the demand the Force expects to face in the next four years, and how we plan to meet it.

Declaration:
This is the Force management statement for Sussex Police. Except where stated otherwise, the information in this
statement is complete and accurate in all material respects.

Giles York, QPM. Chief Constable, Sussex Police

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 2. Force management statement summary

Force current and future demand

Sussex is a comparatively safe place to live with 64 crimes recorded per 1000 population compared to an England and Wales
average of 77.
There has, however, been a significant recent increase in recorded crime in Sussex which mirrors the national trend (+11.4% in
the last year). Our modelling forecast suggests that this trend will continue this year and next, and that by March 2019 recorded
crime will have risen by a further 11%.
In terms of calls for service, Sussex Police currently receives an average of 70,000 contacts each month. The total volume of
827,000 contacts in 2017 was up by 3% compared with 2016. Again, our modelling forecast suggests that this is likely to continue
to rise, increasing by a further 7% by March 2019.
The profile of our public contact is changing: 999 calls received in 2017 were up by 5% compared with 2016, but the number of
101 calls declined by 3% during the same period. Significantly, email and web-based contact increased by 24% compared to 2016.
Our trend analysis suggests that this type of contact will continue to grow at the same rate over the next two years. We predict
that web-based communication will form an ever larger component of our total contact volume in the future.
Our overall rise in recorded crime is reflected in both volume and serious offences: Volume crime has seen an increase over the
last 2 years of +11.1%. We believe that some of this increase can be attributed to improving Crime Data Integrity. An average of
9,284 volume crimes are now recorded each month in Sussex. Violence against the person is the largest component of our volume
crime, and growth in this area accounts for a significant proportion of the increase overall.
Most areas of serious crime have also seen an increase over last 2 years (+21.1%). Whilst the numbers are smaller, we believe that
they are less likely to be influenced by crime data integrity and represent a shifting profile of recorded crime in Sussex towards
the more serious and complex. Recorded offences of rape and serious sexual assault have increased by 34% in the last two years
and are projected to increase by a further 26% by March 2019. This is a positive indicator of public confidence in policing and the
willingness of victims to report offences, however, our rape offence volumes are already high, and further increases represent a
particular organisational challenge.
Despite the increases in both volume and serious crime, the ratio of crimes receiving secondary investigation has remained fairly
consistent over the last 2 years (approximately 69% for volume crime and 94.5% for serious crime). This means that the Force has
investigated more crime this year than in each of the last three years.
The change in demand that the Force is experiencing is not just about an increase in volumes. It is also about the changing profile
of both the incidents reported to us and the crimes that we investigate. For example, we have made a significant investment in
training to help raise awareness about vulnerability. Enhanced awareness has led to an increase in the proportion of crimes and
incidents that involve a vulnerable victim or member of the public. These require further initial assessment within our contact
centre when received, and are also more complex to investigate. The number of missing children in 2015 was 3470 rising to 3833
in 2017 – an increase of 10.4% over two years. Nearly 35% of our criminal investigations now have a vulnerability marker attached.
Awareness has also improved because of campaigns with our partners and the public aimed at recognising vulnerability, and
training for our workforce on safeguarding and managing risk
Over the next 4 years, we predict that demand related to human trafficking and modern slavery for Sussex Police is likely to grow
due to recognition that County-Lines drug distribution often involves criminal exploitation of adults & children. Sussex has been
recognised for its innovative approach to tackling serious and organised crime both in terms of the use of legislation and its
targeting of wider OCGs such as an Albanian crime group based in Brighton.
We also anticipate that international terrorism and consequent counter-terrorist activity will continue to place additional demands
on Sussex Police because of the county’s profile and geography: our ports and harbours, the challenges of policing Gatwick – the
UK’s second largest airport – and the demands of hosting annual party political conferences in Brighton & Hove (which is also one
of the UK’s most visited tourist cities). To address this in 2017-18 the Force uplifted its firearms capacity by investing £1million in
52 officer posts across Surrey and Sussex to improve counter terrorism and firearms capabilities.
In summary the overall picture for demand on Sussex Police is changing, and whilst volumes are increasing, it is the shifting nature
of incidents and the level of complexity that we are handling, which is having the most significant impact on the Force. This reflects
a conscious change in focus from Sussex Police, to target our activity where the threat, risk and harm are greatest.

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Force capability and capacity
Sussex Police employs over 2500 officers and more than 2000 staff (including PCSOs). Nearly 50% of the Force’s resources are
targeted at local policing (including public protection). Amongst a significant breadth of volunteers, we use Special Constables to
carry out a variety of roles across the Force, including response work. At the end of March 2018 there were 212 specials, and we
are in the process of introducing a new structure with ranks and designated responsibilities in order to enhance the impact of the
role.
Maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce is important to Sussex Police. The make-up of the Force is currently 32% female and
we are actively seeking to improve diversity with strategies targeted at recruiting from groups that are less well represented.
Sussex has a Force Equality and Diversity Board alongside the Force Strategic Independent Advisory Group, as well as an extensive
network of Public Advisory Groups (specific to the Equality Act protected characteristics) which challenge and inform our policing
approach. The Chief Constable is UN Women’s Global Law Enforcement Thematic Champion for HeForShe campaign, and once
again the Force is in the Top 100 Employers on the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.
The Force is managing its current demand well. However with both volume and complexity increasing, investment in local policing
and specifically in prevention capacity is a particular priority. In 2017 the Force completed the implementation of a new local
policing model which includes enhanced prevention staff roles such as a modern PSCO function with additional powers, dedicated
prevention analysts and local ASB & Hate Crime Co-ordinators. Specialist Officer roles have also been introduced, including new
Youth Officers who target interventions with young people to specifically address how crime affects them and to prevent
exploitation. The Force is embracing problem-solving, and we have seen a recent significant increase in the submission and sharing
of problem profiles. The Community Investigations Teams which the Force introduced in 2017 also provide capacity to tackle
County Lines, local OCGs and to uncover hidden crime. The Force is committed to improving and developing its prevention and
local investigations capacity and is investing in local policing resources to meet the demand which has grown since the model was
implemented.
The skills profile of our workforce is changing in line with the evolution of our demand. We are increasing the skill-set of our front
line staff to deal with greater complexity. For instance, staff in the contact centre are now trained and experienced in the
application of THRIVE principles as well as our Investigations Framework. Response Officers have been upskilled to investigate a
set range of crime types.
The Investigation & Resolution Centre (IRC) now provides phone-based investigation for 31.2% of all serials. The Force is
introducing additional investigator training to all staff in the centre and created a new DCI post to lead the IRC and to promote
and enhance investigative standards.
Sussex Police is in a relatively good position in terms of its development of detectives and investigators, particularly in comparison
to the national shortage. There is currently just a small shortfall in qualified detectives, and the Force has developed a plan to
address this gap. We have increased resilience in Investigations by merging our CID and volume crime teams into 6 larger divisional
(BCU) Investigation teams. The new teams have a mixture of officers and staff in both PIP 1 and PIP 2 roles. This consolidation of
resources provides the capacity to flex across volume and serious/complex crime according to daily or weekly demand. A career
path for police staff has been developed: access to The National Investigators’ Examination (NIE) as well as PIP 1 and 2 training
provide a stepping stone to supervisory roles.
The Force has introduced ‘operational competence’ as part of its bespoke Investigations Framework. This ensures investigative
standards and supervisory oversight are maintained, whilst making officers and staff responsible for decision making in relation
to the investigations they conduct. The majority of Response, Prevention and Investigations staff have been granted Operational
Competence, and this has reduced average investigation length and increased efficiency in the management of investigations.
As illustrated above, one of the key drivers of demand for the Force is the increased recognition of vulnerability and reporting of
crimes that involve vulnerable people. The number of staff in our Safeguarding Investigation Units (Public Protection) is based on
comprehensive demand analysis and projections completed in 2016. As a consequence, in 2016-17 a precept uplift of 45 FTE posts
was delivered and a further uplift in 2017-18 equivalent to 30 FTE posts was agreed.
The current and projected increases in RASSO offences will continue to put pressure on these specialist teams. To address this, in
2017/18 an additional investment was agreed for a new team of 22 Sexual Offence Investigation Trained (SOIT) officers which
came into Force in May 2018. The new team provides specialist support to rape victims, improving the quality of investigations as
well as alleviating workload pressure by providing extra capacity.

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To equip staff and officers with the skills to identify and deal with cases involving vulnerability, we have invested significantly in
domestic abuse training: Face-to-face “DA Matters” training has been delivered to over 2200 first responders including Control
Room staff, custody officers and investigators. That training has also been written into all new recruitment and initial training
courses, and we have trained over 250 DA Mentors. In addition, the Force and the PCC have contributed resources to train officers
and staff on stalking and harassment with the help of Veritas Justice (local stalking advocacy service) and other national service
providers.
The renewed focus on vulnerability, and the increasing complexity of workloads for officers and staff, has led the Force to
implement a range of initiatives to monitor and improve the welfare and wellbeing of our workforce. These include a Force
wellbeing strategy and local wellbeing SPOCs, mental health advocates, the ‘back-up buddy’ phone application, and Defuse trained
volunteers.
Our overall assessment of our capacity and capability is that the Force is currently in a good position to meet the challenges which
it faces, but that key areas require investment in capability over the next four years. The Force has identified these areas as local
policing (particularly prevention and investigations), and teams which work with our most vulnerable victims, such as missing
people, children and victims of RASSO. Trends suggest that demand will continue to grow, but the Force cannot exponentially
increase its resources. Difficult choices will have to be made about the prioritisation of resourcing and the Force must continue to
innovate and work in partnership to improve early intervention. However, alongside these challenges Sussex Police have
traditionally been very good at utilising the wider operational networks and resources from across the region, as well as calling on
mutual aid as required.

Making the Force efficient

The Force has published its 2018-22 Transformation Strategy which aims to address the challenges presented by our changing
demand, and to meet the gaps that have been identified. This will include improving Contact resources, strengthening local
policing, improving efficiency through regional and local partnerships, and modernising our Force through new technology.
The way that people want to contact us is changing with the proportion of online contact to the Force increasing. To address
overall demand in contact and to respond to changing public expectations, the Force is undertaking a Contact Improvement
Programme over the next two years. This programme will ensure the right systems, training and resources are in place to meet
changing demand. The Force has worked hard to become an early adopter of Single Online Home technology which will vastly
improve online reporting by providing a common platform for the public to report and self-serve online. ‘Track My Crime’ - a
secure website for victims of crime to track the progress of their case 24 hours a day - is already live and is anticipated to help
reduce the volume of 101 non-emergency calls from victims seeking updates.
The 2018-22 Transformation Strategy sets out to improve workforce capacity by increasing the number of officers through an
uplift of 200 new posts. To fill these posts whilst accounting for those leaving the Force will require the recruitment of 800 new
officers over that period. These posts will be deployed in those areas which will make the most impact. The most significant area
for investment will be local policing which will gain new posts in Prevention and Community Investigations teams as well as an
uplift in Response, with an increase in supervisory strength as well as constable numbers.
The uplift in local policing will be used to target resources at those areas where we have greatest need, for instance better
managing missing people by consolidating and increasing the capacity of Missing Person and Vulnerability teams on each Division.
To ensure we are pro-actively tackling growing online demand related to Child Sexual Exploitation we are also uplifting the number
of investigators in the Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) by an extra 10 posts.
Alongside investment in human resources, the Force is continuing to implement innovations that will assist officers to operate
more efficiently and to better manage their workloads. Sussex Police have issued over 2000 mobile devices, predominantly to
operational, uniform officers. These deliver some of the best functionality in the country, allowing our workforce to be more
effective in accessing information, updating records and not needing to return to police stations. Being such a large force area,
with significant rural areas, this makes a real difference to keeping officers visible. We are now providing all Investigators, including
those in Public Protection, with mobile devices, enabling them to access crime information on the move and use time at court
more efficiently. The Force has an exceptional fleet of vehicles that are fit for purpose and is increasing the number of vehicles
equipped with ANPR to increase the effectiveness of our interventions.
Given the increased complexity of our demand, we cannot tackle the new challenges that we face alone: The Force is working ever
more closely in partnership with local public and voluntary sector bodies, as well as in collaboration with South East Forces and

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national policing agencies and initiatives. Locally, Partnership ASB (ASBRAC) forums have been established across all policing
divisions, and are informed by weekly intelligence meetings to assist in the prevention of crime and to enable proactive targeting
of ASB hotspots and perpetrators.
We are reviewing the operation of our four Multi Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH), in order to find efficiencies through shared
best practice and the elimination of duplicated effort. We have strong local relationships with colleagues in CPS and have
embedded a Detective Inspector post within the CPS Rape and Serious Sexual Offence (RASSO) office in order to improve the
quality of our file submissions and to enhance communication between investigators and prosecutors.
Regionally, we are seeking to enhance our partnership working with other Forces, to combine our resources, achieve efficiencies
of scale and share knowledge and skills. Major components of our organisation are now fully collaborated with Surrey Police and
provide a combined service to both Forces - this includes joint Operations Command and Specialist Crime functions as well as
corporate services such as Finance, People Services and Learning & Development. Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Thames Valley
have a regional ambition which sets our strategy for future collaboration including major ICT developments such as a four-Force
combined Niche platform, which will enable much closer working and efficient sharing of information and resources in future.
This builds on the five year digital enablement plan which Sussex and Surrey Police share.

What types of future demand we will be unable to meet

In assessing the internal Force Management Statements we have undertaken a detailed gap analysis process, with risk and impact
scores to enable us to understand the challenges that we will face over the next four years. We have developed an action plan to
address those. The Force focus on ensuring that we address matters that pose the highest threat, risk and harm and on protecting
the vulnerable will continue, and therefore the high impact challenges that the Force has identified will be addressed.
In terms of demands that we will be unable to meet in spite of those changes, the highest risk areas are as follows:
The investigation of low harm, volume crime. If projected trends are realised, our ongoing focus on higher risk, high harm offending
will reduce our capacity to provide secondary investigation of lower harm, volume crimes. We have designed and implemented
an Investigations Framework which helps us to make better decisions about what we investigate and for how long, in order to
manage this risk.
An increase in waiting times for 101. Because resourcing 999 calls will always be prioritised, if projected demand trends are
realised, our 101 phone answering times may decline with a risk that more callers will terminate contact before calls are answered.
It is important to state that our triage process ensures that anyone calling to report a crime is prioritised, rather than being held
in a queue. Our Contact Improvement Programme will look to address this risk in the comprehensive work that we are doing to
look at future resourcing and skills requirements in Contact, as well as technological and process improvements.
A consequence of these issues is that public confidence may be affected if the Force is not seen to address demand types that it
has previously serviced. The force will have to work harder to engage with local communities to agree priorities, to articulate the
challenges which it faces and explore how they can assist us to manage expectations about the role of the police and our partners.

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Section 10: Force-wide functions.

This section is about the functions of Sussex Police not covered elsewhere:
A. Human resources and workforce planning (collaborated with Surrey Police).
B. Learning and development (collaborated with Surrey Police).
C. Professional standards
D. Finance (collaborated with Surrey Police).
E. Corporate development
F. Estates
G. Fleet management (collaborated with Surrey Police).
H. Special constabulary and volunteers
I. Corporate communications
J. Vetting (collaborated with Surrey Police)
K. Civil claims
L. Legal Services.

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Section 11: Finance

the local precept. The council tax referendum limit for English Forces remained at 2% but with additional flexibility for the ten
lowest precept Forces to raise the tax by £5 per Band D equivalent household up to March 2018 which included Sussex;

The Force uses the HMICFRS annual Value for Money profiles to inform and shape the MTFS. They provide:
• Comparative data on a wide range of policing activities;
• Comparison of Sussex performance, and the costs of achieving it, with that of other Forces;
• Highlight what differences exist between individual police Force areas, rather than the reasons why they exist; and
• Aim to help individuals ask the right questions.
Sussex experienced significant impact from the funding reductions because it receives more in core policing grant in
proportion to its council tax; around 62% being from grant during 2017/18. In addition Sussex at the same time has the:
• 5th lowest precept of any PCC in England and Wales.
• 7th lowest net revenue cost per head of population and;
• 7th lowest total funding per head of population at £160.9 which equates to a £36.2m difference to the average in
England and Wales.
(Source: HMICFRS Value for Money Profiles)
A new approach to strategic financial planning, working closely with the PCC’s office has resulted in the MTFS being updated
throughout the year, based on latest information on both funding and spending. Also in line with best practice, the Force’s
financial plans were subject to third party scrutiny from Deloitte LLP during 2017/18, which confirmed that assumptions on
funding, financial commitments and savings plans were robust and reliable. The MTFS considers in detail, the following areas:
Resources:
• Police grant settlement and funding formula,
• Council Tax precept including tax base and precept uplifts
• Other grant funding, such as PRTB
• Other income, such as fees, charges, Developer Contributions (S106 monies and community infrastructure levy)
Financial Commitments:
• Employee pay and price increases
• Non-pay price and volume increases, inflation and growth
• Maintaining investment in Force / police and crime plan priorities
• Understanding impacts of changing demand
Budget savings and Efficiencies:
• Through local initiatives
• And through partnerships - locally regionally or nationally
Capital
• Investment requirements to support organisational change
• Funding sources for capital investment
The modelling of these assumptions is included in the table below. Changes to funding levels included within the MTFS,
primarily as a result of the proposed precept levels, has enabled the net savings requirement to be reduced over the four year
period to £3m.

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