Mid Sussex security and crime prevention news for the community

Mid Sussex Neighbourhood Watch have produced a handbook containing a wealth of useful information.

The 50 page publication contains advice and tips on keeping the criminal at bay; personal, property and vehicle security, fire safety, local contacts listings, plus much more.

The booklet has been sponsored by many local agencies including WSCC, Mid Sussex and Haywards Heath councils, the Fire & Rescue service, Sussex Police, Sussex Neighbourhood Watch Federation and the Scarman Trust.

The printed booklet can be obtained from Mid Sussex police stations or downloaded from the links opposite in either PDF or ZIP format.

The handbook is identical within both files types >>>

Download members handbook (PDF) (3.86MB)
 Download members handbook (ZIP file) (3.47MB)
Downloading and Printing info here.

This was a multi-agency operation run between 19-24th May involving the DVLA, licensing enforcement, VOSA, trading standards and the parish council all working together to tackle 'crime and grime' in the village.

Operation Beatsweep tackled issues that were raised by some 150 Hassocks area residents, including parking, anti social behaviour and speeding vehicles.

During half-term, year 11 pupils were stopped when seen underage drinking while celebrating in a very vociferous and drunken manner.  Parents are advised to be aware of where their children are and what they're up to.

60 vehicles were stopped during safety checks and of these nine were issued with prohibitions for serious vehicle defects and three for no MOT.  Seven minor infringements were reported with licensed vehicles and one driver was arrested twice in the week for drink driving and his car seized.

Random speed checks were conducted at various locations and at various times.  In London Road and Ockley Lane quite a few drivers were stopped and advised, while in Priory Road, Stonepound Road and Grand Avenue no speeding was apparent.  It's suspected that 'speeding mis-perception' was at work here.  Volunteers for the Hassocks Speedwatch Scheme are to be sought to carry out speed checks and relay information to police.  If you're interested please .

A post event street briefing was held at The Parish Centre on Thursday 5th June where locals were able to learn how the action week went.

The full Operation Beatsweep report can be downloaded below:

Download Op Beatsweep report (61KB)
Downloading and Printing info here.

Here is the latest message to the community (21st May) from Chris Ball, Chief Inspector for Mid Sussex District.  It is intended to keep the local community informed and updated about key issues and developments in the area and can be downloaded opposite >>>
It is also available on our RSS feed and blog.

Download Community Message 43 (16KB)
Downloading and Printing info here.
Previous message No 41 (April, 26KB)
(No, we don't know what happened to No. 42 either)

This document has been reformatted by this website from Sussex Police original into a PDF document suitable for downloading.

Watch Out is the Mid Sussex Neighbourhood Watch newsletter and is distributed locally by the PCSOs and Neighbourhood Watch coordinators.  Designed to keep Mid Sussex residents informed of local crime issues, it contains a wealth of local information and crime prevention advice.

The spring edition has items on Neighbourhood Policing and Neighbourhood Watch working together in the future, some tips on perimeters, paths and outbuilding security, details of a new No Cold Calling Zone in Burgess Hill, PCSO blog access details and the latest NST news.  Recent previous editions are also available.

Click to view Watch Out.

PCSO Sally Howarth advises dates for forthcoming Police Surgeries >>>

All are held at the Hassocks Parish Council Offices in Adastra Park.  Please come along if you have any problems or questions that the police may be able to help with.

July - Thursday 24th, 11.00 am - 12.00 pm

On 2nd February a search and rescue training exercise took place in the North Downs area of Sussex.  Colin Field, the High Sheriff of west Sussex together with representatives from Sussex Police Authority, independent advisory groups, Haywards Heath town council and Mid Sussex council emergency planning department, observed the event.

The many volunteers spent several hours searching for a teenage dummy.  Lowland search dogs, Sussex search and rescue and Sussex Police all took part.  The groups came together for extensive training - and gained further invaluable experience which has been proven by their successes during real searches.

C.I. Chris Ball, Mid Sussex District Commander said: "The Neighbourhood Watch Search Team are a pivotal and essential part of how police deal with some critical incidents involving missing people in the Mid Sussex area.  My thanks go to the volunteers for their professionalism and dedication."

Sussex Police has pioneered the use of trained volunteers to assist in this vital role with over 140 currently active.

PC Bennett said: "Searching large areas of open countryside is not just a matter of swamping the problem with personnel.  This needs to be carried out systematically and with people trained in the correct techniques.  Our trained volunteers are specialists in their own right and a vital asset in finding vulnerable missing people as quickly as possible."

"The volunteers come from all walks of life and gladly give their time, when they are able to do so.  A call out at the weekend is not usually a problem for most volunteers, but we cannot and do not expect them to turn out if committed with work or family matters - which is why we need to train a substantial pool of volunteers."

"The training is informative and fun.  These types of outdoor exercises, which are held a few time a year, are designed to test our teams over a variety of terrain.  Although it would be great if we did not have to deploy search teams in this role, persons do go missing in circumstances that require large scale searches of the countryside."

For search volunteer information please contact PC Geoff Bennett on 0845 60 70 999 or .
Visit the Sussex Search website.

Related:
Sussex Search's blog
High Sheriff's blog

Operation Crackdown is a multi-agency partnership including you, Sussex residents.  The aim is to make our roads safer and our neighbourhoods a better place to live.

More information and a full list of partners is on the Operation Crackdown website.

We need your help to tackle problems in your part of Sussex by telling us about abandoned vehicles and anti-social driving you've seen, eg speeding, thoughtless driving/riding, under-age drivers/riders, drink or drug driving, tailgating, mobile phone use, vehicles in unsafe condition, untaxed cars and motorbikes...

If you spot any of the above:

• Pull over safely at the side of the road, or ask a passenger to write down details

• Vehicle make, model, colour and number will all help police enquiries

• Use house numbers, shop names, road names to pinpoint the incident's location or a potential abandoned vehicle

• Write a brief description of what you witnessed, while still fresh in your mind

• Visit: www.operationcrackdown.org or call 01243 64 22 22 to record your information, which will only take a few minutes

Your information will be analysed and appropriate action taken if necessary by Sussex Police.  Those identified can be tackled in a number of ways - by education, letters and home visits to give them a chance to consider their actions and what future actions they need to take.  More serious cases where lives are potentially put at risk, or those who fail to heed initial warnings are likely to face prosecution.

Remember!  Do not attempt to write anything while driving and always stop in a safe place prior to using a handheld mobile phone.

Since going live there have been 186 entries and as a result there has been a seizure of a motorcycle for anti-social riding as well as an individual being identified as involved in two incidents of road rage within 4 days.

The summary below identifies some of the key causation factors which the police record regularly as contributing to road traffic crashes where people are seriously injured or killed.  The significant reporting of mobile phone use and drink driving should be taken as a warning to motorists that this database will allow their activities to be recorded.  Many of these offences, if prosecuted, will result in penalty points, disqualification and heavy fines.

A summary of some of the activities being reported is:

• 63 cases of careless or dangerous driving

• 5 cases of drink driving

• 37 cases of mobile phones being used by drivers

• 5 road rage reports

• 36 excessive speed reports

• 7 cases of tailgating

The following is a typical response which accompanies a report:

"Thank you for this and at last we feel someone is listening to us when we ask for a more peaceful life."
"What a good idea this website is."
"The only thing I find that I do not want on, is the map that comes up under location, as most people will be able to tell you the location without a map."
"I think the site is great and easy to use."

West Sussex Mediation Service was set up locally to help people who are having problems with their neighbours and others in the community and finding it hard to resolve.  Examples include: noisy or inconsiderate neighbours, antisocial behaviour, verbal abuse, boundary and hedge disputes, pet and parking problems, ball games in the road, rubbish or bonfires and dispute over use of common areas.

Disputes can escalate over time and often lead to police, council, solicitors and landlord involvement.

Mediation is a way of resolving disagreements with the help of an independent third party.  Our mediators are trained volunteers who live in the local community - they will not make judgements or take sides, but will encourage everyone involved to find an acceptable solution.

Our aim is to bring people together to talk and resolve difficulties.  We hope that we can help restore goodwill and make life more acceptable for all parties.

If you are having problems with a neighbour or anyone in the local community, we may be able to help.  The office is normally staffed weekdays between 9.00am -1.00pm and 2.00 - 5.00pm (answerphone at other times).

Mediation works because:

• The Mediators are neutral and help both parties reach an agreement they are both happy with

• Both parties have the opportunity to be heard fully and hear the other side of the story

• Mediators do not give advice or solutions, but encourage the parties to take on responsibility for finding a practical solution.  They help by identifying main dispute issues and underlying causes - meaning that any agreements reached are more likely to work

• Mediation is an informal, private process involving only the parties themselves and the mediators who act according to a strict Confidentiality Policy

• Finally, mediation is a free and usually quick way of solving disputes and is run by a Management Committee, currently seeking to recruit further Trustees

Address:  West Sussex Mediation Service, Alphacom House, 8A Oakhill Road, Horsham, RH13 5SB.
Tel. No:  01403 258900  .
Web:  www.westsussexmediation.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 1084592.
We welcome donations or grants.