Source · HMICFRS

PEEL Assessment 2023-25: Sussex Police

23 July 2025 PEEL Force Inspection 14 areas for improvement

PEEL 2023-25 inspection findings for Sussex Police

Applicable forces

Sussex Police

Areas for improvement

AFI The force needs to improve the way it records crime when it receives a report of antisocial behaviour personal Sussex Police is failing to record enough crimes and tackle problems when victims report antisocial behaviour. We examined 49 antisocial behaviour personal incidents. Of these, the force should have recorded 20 crimes, but it only recorded 8. During our 2021/22 inspection, when we examined 50 similar incidents of antisocial behaviour personal, we found that the force should have recorded 34 crimes, but it only recorded 21. Sussex Police

AFI The force should help supervisors better manage suspects and wanted people During our inspection, we found that Sussex Police had effective management and oversight of high-risk suspects, such as high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators. It discusses them at daily management meetings and team briefings, and it allocates police resources to make swift arrests. However, at an operational team level, the force is inconsistent in the way it monitors other outstanding suspects and wanted people. The force uses a Power BI dashboard to give senior leaders oversight of the number of outstanding and wanted suspects across the force’s area. However, supervisors told us that the Power BI dashboards don’t allow them to filter information about the number of outstanding suspects and wanted people according to their teams. This inconsistency leads to varied, often time-consuming and ineffective management practices across the force. The force should make sure supervisors have access to Power BI dashboards and understand how to use them to find out the number of outstanding and wanted suspects allocated to their teams. This will help supervisors prioritise those who pose the most risk to the public. Sussex Police

AFI The force must make sure it supports the development of all first-line leaders, and that it effectively trains them First-line leaders play a crucial role in Sussex Police. Their key responsibilities include managing the performance of officers and staff, supervising workloads and monitoring their teams’ well-being. Specific training is essential to make sure first-line leaders have the skills they need for their roles. Due to vacancies in the learning and development team, there have been delays in training all first-line leaders. At the time of our inspection, the force told us only 44.5 percent of first-line leaders had completed the Introduction to Leadership programme. This programme is based on three days of face-to-face learning, with topics that include: ethical decision-making, organisational culture and evidence-based practice. The force told us it was prioritising newly promoted leaders, and that it planned to train 58 more first-line leaders by the end of 2025. However, this means that only 55.2 percent of first-line leaders will have completed the training by that date. During our inspection, we found that some first-line leaders who hadn’t done this training felt unequipped and unsupported. The force has developed its We Are Sussex Leaders programme, which is run by chief officers. The force told us that all its first and second-line leaders had attended part one of this programme, which focuses on leadership expectations, performance and well-being. Feedback so far has been positive. Part two, which is due to take place in the second half of 2025, checks on progress and helps leaders to apply what they have learned. The force intends for the programme to be a long-term approach to supporting professional development. Sussex Police

AFI The force must consider its professional development review process to make sure it is effective, and that officers and staff value it Sussex Police has an annual professional development review process for officers, which is called Future Focus. The force requires police officers, but not police staff, to attend Future Focus meetings. These meetings are designed to support professional development and career planning. The force uses a central spreadsheet to monitor the compliance rates for holding Future Focus meetings. We found that attitudes towards the Future Focus process were mixed. People who were actively working towards development found it beneficial, but people who were content in their existing roles found it less useful. To improve participation and understanding, the force should clearly communicate the purpose and benefits of the Future Focus process to both officers and staff. This would help to reinforce its value. Additionally, the force expects that every three months, all officers and staff participate in one-to-one meetings with their line managers. These focus meetings are designed for line managers to hold meaningful conversations that focus on well-being, workload, recognising good work, ongoing development and discussing any concerns. The force told us that for the year ending 31 March 2025, 78 percent of the workforce had a recorded focus meeting. The force told us that for the previous year, 36 percent of the workforce had a recorded focus meeting. This is a positive trend. Sussex Police

AFI The force should make sure it effectively scrutinises performance across the force and has processes and technology in place to meet demand Since our 2021/22 PEEL inspection, Sussex Police has improved the way it answers and responds to emergency calls. It needs to make sure it achieves this level of progress in other areas of the force, and that it makes best use of its data and information to monitor performance. In this inspection, we found that the force needed to make improvements to the way it governs and monitors several areas, such as: • use of force; • problem-solving activity; • the activity of domestic abuse caseworkers; and • its approach to helping supervisors manage suspects and wanted people. The force needs to make sure it has effective management in all areas, and that senior leaders hold to account those responsible for achieving good performance. At the time of our inspection, the force was preparing for significant changes to its operating model for public protection and its safeguarding investigation unit. The force should assure itself that these changes will address the performance concerns it has in these areas. It should also monitor the changes to make sure they achieve the expected benefits. Innovative practice At the same time as making changes to the structure of its organisation, the force should make the most of available technology to improve its performance, rather than just aiming to recruit more people. In some areas, new technology may be a better investment for the force than people. Sussex Police is one of a few forces that hasn’t adopted auto-redaction technology (which anonymises sensitive information in case files) to help its investigators. Using technology can make existing officers and staff more effective and efficient. Sussex Police

AFI The force has introduced a leadership programme aimed at first and second-line leaders Sussex Police has introduced a structured leadership development programme called We Are Sussex Leaders. The programme is designed to make sure all leaders understand the force’s expectations in relation to performance, professional standards and risk management. Chief officers run the programme, and they personally communicate these expectations to participants. This reinforces the importance of leadership accountability. The programme is aimed at first and second-line leaders, but senior leaders also participate and gain value from the process. They lead cross-departmental cohorts, and they give guidance and mentorship. Through this structured support network, first and second-line leaders can access advice from peers and senior leaders beyond their usual line management arrangements. We observed part one of the programme, which all first and second-line leaders had attended. We were impressed by the concept and content. The force told us it had received positive feedback from attendees and senior leaders. Officers and staff consider it to be a valuable way of building leadership skills and promoting a positive culture and shared values. The force intends to continue the programme in the long term. At the time of our inspection, it was planning to run part two in the second half of 2025. Sussex Police

AFI The force needs to strengthen the external scrutiny of its use of force Sussex Police has an external use of force panel, which meets quarterly. It is chaired by a senior police officer, rather than by an independent chairperson. At each meeting, the panel reviews a use of force theme. Themes have included the use of force on children, and the use of de-escalation techniques. During the meeting, the panel reviews up to four body-worn video recordings on the chosen theme. This number of recordings is too low for an independent overview of this activity across the whole force. The external panel should review more use of force incidents – chosen at random – to allow for truly independent scrutiny. The panel could then identify themes and learning so the force can make improvements. At the time of our inspection, the force was advertising for people to join an independent use of force scrutiny panel, with a view to re-starting it in September 2025. The force should continue with these plans, include an independent chairperson, and make sure members of the panel are from diverse backgrounds. Sussex Police

AFI The force needs to consistently record and evaluate problem-solving activity so it can monitor performance more effectively We found that Sussex Police doesn’t always use problem-solving plans to record and evaluate activity, or to share learning across the force. This makes it harder to promote consistency and to effectively measure performance across neighbourhood policing teams. The force uses problem-solving plans for large-scale crime prevention operations. Some of this positive work is listed in the main findings section of this chapter. But the force doesn’t consistently use the problem-solving framework to prevent crime and antisocial behaviour in local communities. It doesn’t oversee problem-solving plans across the county, which prevents it from evaluating activity and sharing best practice. This reduces how effectively it manages neighbourhood crime and antisocial behaviour. Sussex Police

AFI The force should make sure it has regular and structured governance processes to monitor the performance of neighbourhood policing activity To make sure neighbourhood policing is effective and accountable, Sussex Police should put in place regular and structured governance processes to actively monitor and evaluate performance. Innovative practice At the time of our inspection, we found that the force didn’t always consistently record or review problem-solving plans. Without consistency, it is hard for the force to know what is working, what isn’t, and where it needs to make improvements. We found evidence of positive and proactive work at a local level, but at the time of our inspection, there was no strategic co-ordination. Without a central governance structure, good practice may go unrecognised, and underperformance may not be addressed promptly or systematically. This lack of strategic oversight has wider implications for performance monitoring. It limits how well forces can make informed decisions, allocate resources and show their communities the value of neighbourhood policing. Establishing a robust governance framework would support more consistent and effective problem-solving, make sure neighbourhood policing activity aligns with organisational priorities and result in positive outcomes for the force’s communities. The force knows about this problem and is taking steps to improve it. During our inspection, it confirmed that its newly formed problem-solving working group would help bring more structure and consistency in this area. We will continue to monitor its progress. Sussex Police

AFI Volunteer police cadets are raising awareness in school communities about violence against women and girls Volunteer police cadets in rural Sussex are raising awareness of violence against women and girls. Initiatives to tackle violence against women and girls often centre on the night-time economy in towns and cities. But this initiative recognises that violence against women and girls takes place everywhere. The police cadets have prepared a six-minute presentation which they give in schools. It is designed for children aged 15 and 16, who are the same age as the cadets. The presentation includes information on the vital role men and boys play by challenging others’ behaviour, speaking out and supporting people who may become victims. Sussex Police told us the cadets had shown the presentation to 760 students. Sussex Police

AFI The force doesn’t consistently achieve acceptable outcomes for victims Sussex Police doesn’t achieve acceptable outcomes for victims of crime. The number of victim-based crimes it solves after investigations is low. The force needs to better understand this problem and work to achieve better outcomes for victims. In the year ending 30 June 2024, the force recorded 115,643 victim-based crimes. Of these recorded offences, 9.2 percent were assigned an ‘offences brought to justice’ outcome. This is within the normal range when compared with other forces in England and Wales. In the year ending 30 June 2024, Sussex Police assigned 5.3 percent of victim-based crimes a ‘charged/summonsed’ outcome (outcome 1). This is lower than expected when compared with other forces in England and Wales. Despite this, a ‘charged/summonsed’ outcome is just one of the outcomes that makes up ‘offences brought to justice’, and the force is within the normal range in this area when compared with other forces in England and Wales. Between 30 June 2023 and 30 June 2024, the proportion of victim-based crimes assigned outcome 15 (evidential difficulties (suspect identified; victim supports police action)) by Sussex Police decreased from 10.7 percent to 8.9 percent. Both these values are lower than expected when compared with other forces in England and Wales. In the year ending 30 June 2024, Sussex Police assigned 48.3 percent of victim-based crimes outcome 18 (investigation complete – no suspect identified). This is higher than expected when compared with other forces in England and Wales. 31 Mar 2015 30 un 2015 30 Sep 2015 31 Dec 2015 31 Mar 201 30 un 201 30 Sep 201 31 Dec 201 31 Mar 201 30 un 201 30 Sep 201 31 Dec 201 31 Mar 2018 30 un 2018 30 Sep 2018 31 Dec 2018 31 Mar 2019 30 un 2019 30 Sep 2019 31 Dec 2019 31 Mar 2020 30 un 2020 30 Sep 2020 31 Dec 2020 31 Mar 2021 30 un 2021 30 Sep 2021 31 Dec 2021 31 Mar 2022 30 un 2022 30 Sep 2022 31 Dec 2022 31 Mar 2023 30 un 2023 30 Sep 2023 31 Dec 2023 31 Mar 2024 30 un 2024 Sussex Police

AFI The force needs to make sure it carries out proportionate and timely investigations into reported crimes During our inspection, we found a large number of open serious crime investigations. Sussex Police doesn’t have enough capacity to make sure it progresses these investigations promptly to an appropriate outcome. For example, members of the safeguarding investigation unit told us the unit’s investigators were managing about 1,300 active investigations that were more than 12 months old. This was as well as managing investigations that were less than 12 months old. We carried out a random dip sample review of 14 investigations that were more than 12 months old. In most cases, we found the initial response and investigative and safeguarding actions were proportionate and timely. In general, we found that the force had interviewed victims, and located, arrested and processed suspects appropriately. Delays start to happen as investigations enter the secondary investigation phase, which involves further investigative enquiries. Investigators don’t have enough time to do these enquiries, review third-party material, and address file quality and Crown Prosecution Service action plans. We found that investigations often stagnate as operational focus shifts back to daily demand – to the new crimes and safeguarding activity that need attention. Investigations are often re-allocated to new investigators. We found that many investigations passed through several investigators. We also found that progress updates on the investigations lacked detail and direction. Overall, the review reinforced our existing observations and showed that investigators were overwhelmed by the volume and complexity of open investigations. Chief officers are overseeing this problem, and plans are in place to reduce the high-workload pressure on investigators. At the time of our inspection, the force was planning to restructure the safeguarding investigation unit in May 2025. This should also help to free up time for secondary investigations. It is important that the force gives victims the appropriate level of service and prevents further offending by carrying out timely investigations and bringing offenders to justice. Sussex Police

AFI The force needs to improve the way it participates in multi-agency risk assessment conferences Sussex Police is inconsistent in the way it refers cases to multi-agency risk assessment conferences (MARACs). This may lead to victims not receiving the right support or intervention, which would prevent or reduce the risk of future harm. SafeLives recommends that, based on the size of the local population, the force should discuss 2,920 MARAC cases a year. In the year ending 30 September 2024, Sussex Police discussed 3,460 MARAC cases. This is an increase from 3,372 cases in the previous year. However, during our inspection, we learned that this number should be higher. The force attends MARACs with three local authorities. In East Sussex, a MARAC triage pilot has been operating for two years. At this meeting, a decision is made as to whether the case is heard at a full MARAC, or whether it becomes the responsibility of a designated lead agency to co-ordinate risk-reducing actions. We observed one of the MARAC triage meetings. We found that three of the unreferred high-risk cases would have benefited from being discussed at a MARAC. In other areas of the force, there is no MARAC triage with partner agencies. MARAC administration staff told us they are responsible for using their professional judgement in referring cases involving several incidents to the MARAC. They told us their decision-making for unreferred cases isn’t subject to further review. The force needs to make sure it gives all victims who meet the MARAC criteria access to the full range of interventions a MARAC can offer. It should satisfy itself that officers and staff involved in the referral decision-making process fully understand the MARAC criteria. And it should consider how it monitors the quality of decision-making in this area. Of the eight MARAC cases we observed, there was a clear focus on the safety of victims, children and any other potential victims, and on the actions that could be taken to safeguard them. However, there was little consideration of managing perpetrators and taking action to reduce their offending. Managing perpetrators is an important factor in reducing risk. If the force doesn’t make improvements in this area, victims may be at risk of further harm. Sussex Police

AFI The force needs to make sure all officers and staff in multi-agency safeguarding roles have the right training Safeguarding vulnerable people of any age can be complex. It is important that the relevant officers and staff have the skills, training and knowledge they need to provide high-quality safeguarding. They must be able to correctly identify and reduce risk, give appropriate support, and carry out the right safeguarding actions. During our inspection, we spoke to many committed and knowledgeable officers and staff. They routinely work with partner agencies to safeguard vulnerable children and adults, and to reduce offending by people who have committed crimes. However, we found no formal training plan for some officers and staff in specialist roles. Most officers and staff we spoke to had completed Domestic Abuse Matters training. But there wasn’t a training plan for some roles, or milestones for showing competency. Domestic abuse caseworkers – who administer multi-agency risk assessment conferences and support domestic abuse victims – told us new officers and staff learn from those who are more experienced. But they acknowledged that sometimes those people haven’t been in the role for long themselves. Domestic abuse offender managers – who visit high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators – haven’t had specific training for the role. Sussex Police