Mid Sussex Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter

We all now know that the cost of support for policing is being significantly cut back. For the Sussex Police budget, a saving of some £50 million is required over the next 4 - 5 years, and it is inevitable that despite assurances about front line policing being maintained, there will be a reduction in staffing. Losses of 1,000 officers and civilian staff have been forecast from informed sources, although this may be believed achievable mainly by retirement etc. Already recruitment and training has been cut back for PCSOs, and the support for Neighbourhood Police Teams will surely follow.

We are frequently reminded that Mid Sussex is a low crime area and it is to be hoped that it will remain so. As our small contribution to the 'Big Society', Neighbourhood Watch can continue to demonstrate that we do support two of the essentials shown above, and we will be trying to advance these by increasing our involvement and participation to provide enhanced linkage and by working with the police and other bodies that are provided by the state to secure community safety. In Sussex there are said to be some 5,000 NHW co-ordinators and as reported to you previously this...

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Sussex Lowland Dogs provide valuable assistance to the Police and the Sussex Volunteer Search Teams in their Search and Rescue operations and regularly join in training exercises that are held from time to time to keep the members of the teams up-to-date with their skills.

Recently, on a glorious early October day, the search teams joined at Goodwood Country Park to undertake the search for a 'mock' missing bird watcher, and later his family who had also got lost searching for him! The teams were joined by West Sussex High Sheriff Elizabeth Bennett and Assistant Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney. Both of them much enjoyed taking part and the ACC wrote to the North Downs Search Team Chairman, Derek Pratt: "Thanks to you and the team for allowing me access to your very impressive exercise yesterday. The passion, skills and standards were so clear to see and it is wonderful that our communities have the support of your colleagues when the need is greatest. I was humbled by the amount of time your members give to this very noble cause."

Volunteers are needed and those interested in more information about joining the North Sussex Search Team (part of Neighbourhood Watch) should contact Sgt. Rachel Mundy at:  or telephone 07818 010083. It is a very worthwhile group of volunteers, but searching is not just a 'walk in the park'!!

Data Link - The message in the Fridge

In recent months there has been little publicity given to the Data Link scheme, but at the recent AGM of the Sussex NHW Federation, one of the speakers – a senior Paramedic of the Ambulance Service - stressed the valuable help that the Data Link medical records give to ambulance crews when they are attending a house to which they have been called to provide aid. The opportunity is therefore being taken to repeat the message that was last published about a year ago.

For a number of years Neighbourhood Watch in Sussex has promoted the Data Link scheme which is a voluntary arrangement available to anyone living at home who might be reassured to know that essential information about them is readily available to identify them; advise of relevant health matters, such as allergies, medication, disabilities, etc. and also contact addresses. More than 170,000 simple kits have been distributed - free of charge - to people in Sussex so that their personal details can be safely stored in a small labelled container which is kept in the fridge. Matching labels will notify emergency services and / or other care agencies that the details are available, and the labels are placed on the fridge door and on the inside of the front door. By this means vital information is to hand in an emergency.

Mid Sussex NHW is anxious to remind people about the importance of this scheme, especially for the elderly, the vulnerable and also for those who have some infirmity, which may include young people.

A stock of these kits is being provided to Neighbourhood Police Teams at our three local police stations, and can be obtained by contact with your local PCSO (Police Community Support Officer), your local NHW scheme coordinator or direct to your police station enquiry desk. If you or a neighbour consider that a kit could be of help, act now - it could be, and has been, a life saver!

This scheme has been adopted in many parts of the UK and abroad. The charitable group the Lions run a similar scheme mainly covering more urban areas of the district as well as many other parts of the UK.

See the Data Link page for more.

The following item is part of an extract from a recent message sent out to NHW co-ordinators by Sussex Police Authority. (See: the about page to view the full document):

USE YOUR CHANCE TO HELP SHAPE A FORCE FIT FOR THE FUTURE.

People across Sussex are being asked to get involved to help shape the future of local policing.
The recent Comprehensive Spending Review indicates that the level of savings needed to be made by Sussex Police is broadly in line with their estimates, but the exact details of the impact are yet to be communicated to local forces by the Home Office.
Over the coming months there will be a range of opportunities for local people to have their say. People are being asked to sign up on the Sussex Police website if they want to take part. They are also being asked about how they would like to contact the Police, and what sort of things they would like to be able to do online.
Chief Constable Martin Richards said: "We know that we are facing tough times, but we are determined to protect the services we provide to the public. We have to be prepared to think differently about how we police Sussex and it is vitally important that we get the public's views on any changes. We will continue to put the their needs at the heart of policing in Sussex.
"Throughout the Serving Sussex 2015 programme, we will be focusing our consultation on what matters most to local people. One of the most important things - and the first subject on which we are seeking views - is about how people can contact us. I am keen to get direct feedback from the community and this will be vital to our decision making."

Editor's note: We all have opportunities to put forward our views. For example, let your local NHW co-ordinator know or talk to your local PCSO. There are now quite a number of Police Neighbourhood Panels in various parts of Mid Sussex District so why not attend one of these meetings and hear what people are saying and offer your own thoughts? And also please note the short item published above in this issue of Watch Out headed: 'NHW Communications', and suggesting various social media places.

Crime Prevention Tips
Crime at Christmas:
Christmas is a time for joy and celebration; enjoy the festivities but don’t let your guard down. Here in Mid Sussex we live in a low crime area, but every year people have been left devastated by being victims of Christmas crime.
Your home at Christmas - Looks count!
Walk down the street on a winter’s evening and it is often easy to see which home is unoccupied. These are an obvious target for the opportunist burglar. Mid-winter gives us fewer daylight hours so make sure that you have lights on, using timer-switches where necessary, to make your home appear occupied as dusk falls. And leaving a radio on, tuned to a chat show, can also help. Outside lighting, on suitable switch arrangements, will deter intruders and alert neighbours to the presence of intruders.
Cold Callers:
Treat any unexpected callers with caution. It is very easy to make quite plausible identity cards, so do be prepared to verify identification, by checking telephone numbers, and calling same if appropriate. Do not allow entry until you are completely satisfied that the caller is genuine, and be especially careful if you are alone.
Who are your presents for?
Presents around the tree or on other display can be a temptation for the opportunist burglar. Keep them from being seen through ground floor windows, or out of view though an open front door. When out shopping remember the phrase 'On display, easy prey'. So do not leave purchases visible in your car while you are away from it, and keep your shopping trolley and bags with you when you are looking around the supermarket or store for other goods. In a busy environment easy pickings can be made in a moment of careless attention.

...potential anti-social issues and any possible problems for the Fire Brigade if they are called out.

During August we held a clean and green day in the Stone Quarry, Blackwell Farm Road and East Court areas. Local officers, local council residents and the East Grinstead In Bloom organisation picked up litter, tidied people’s gardens and removed graffiti.

We held our second 999 open day in September at East Court. Last year’s event at the Fire Station was such a success we decided to make it bigger and better this year. The weather let us down, but this did not stop large numbers attending to see various displays from the three emergency services including police dogs demonstrating their work, a joint road traffic crash scenario and chip pan fires. Officers from all three services were on hand to answer questions about the work they do. Feedback from those attending was very positive and we will be looking to do something similar next year.

During the beginning of October police and DVLA went out in East Grinstead and clamped 10 untaxed vehicles. We often conduct these joint operations and will be carrying out more in the coming months. Leading up to the Halloween and bonfire season we have been carrying out work in local schools to advise about safety and anti-social behaviour.

We have had a recent spate of graffiti around the Charlwoods Road and Lingfield Road areas. This appeared overnight. We are working with local schools to look at students' books to see if any graffiti match any drawings. If you see any suspicious persons we urge you to contact us at the time on 999 if it's an emergency, or 0845 60 70 999 if a non-emergency.

With Christmas approaching we advise people to be mindful of keeping their bags and purses secure whilst out shopping and not to leave presents in cars as this is an ideal opportunity for thieves.

Sgt. Vicky Tomlinson

More Crime Prevention Tips
Out and about:
Your handbag, purse, wallet mobile phone and keys are all likely to be personal items at risk when your attention is on other matters. If possible keep anything that shows your address, and cards and money, separate from other items and out of easy reach of a potential thief. And also be alert when using a cash-point machine (ATM), both for a sudden grab, and for the possibility that the machine has been subject to criminal attention to gain information or false entry. There have been three recent such incidents in Mid Sussex.
Some New Year Resolutions:
Household Alarms - Consider the need for an alarm system. But get two or three quotes.
Security and safety:
Set rules for the household to cover security and safety matters. Lock the shed and garage at all times.
Make the home appear occupied when you are away, even for a short while.
Treat unexpected callers with caution.
Neighbourhood Watch: Keep in touch with your road coordinator and offer to help.
Fire Safety Check: Check for possible fire risks, and ensure that you have smoke-alarm(s) that are in working order.