Sussex Police boss on a decade in the role and as longest-serving female PCC

In 2011 the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act introduced elected police and crime commissioners (PCCs). The move was in response to low public confidence in the police and hoped to re-engage communities with the police. The first PCC elections took place in 2012, where Sussex business owner and former local councillor Katy Bourne won the majority of votes. She took office on 15 November 2012. She was re-elected in 2016 and again in 2021, making her the longest serving female PCC.

More officers: When PCC Bourne took office, there were 2,959 police officers. Now Sussex Police is on track to have a headcount of 3,186 officers by April next year, equivalent to 3,089 full time officers. Putting more officers into neighbourhoods and increasing police visibility and engagement with communities has been at the heart of the PCC’s work.

Victims: Since first coming to office, PCC Bourne has successfully secured nearly £29m for over 50,000 victims of crime to help them to cope and recover. This money has enabled a wealth of specialist services across the county to provide support, advice and guidance to victims of crimes such as domestic abuse, stalking and hate crimes.

Listening to the public: Every year PCC Bourne engages in countywide consultation where members of the public are invited to engage in a much-needed platform where they can inform and challenge policing in their local areas. PCC Bourne said: “The focus groups that I run alongside my team are crucial. Residents of Sussex voted me in so I could provide them with a seat at the table and put them at the heart of decision-making. Throughout the past decade these groups have influenced ground-breaking changes to policing and that’s because the public knows what truly matters most to their communities.”

Stalking: Katy Bourne had been a victim of stalking and harassment herself since 2012, culminating in court orders against the perpetrators. After seeing the damage and tragic consequences for other women in Sussex when police did not recognise patterns of obsessive behaviour, PCC Bourne instigated a major national awareness drive and better police response to stalking. Sussex Police were the first force in the country to secure newly introduced Stalking Protection Orders.

Accountability: In July 2013 PCC Bourne held her first monthly performance and accountability meeting with Sussex’s Police chief constable. The meetings, which are webcast live to the public, see the PCC scrutinise the force’s effectiveness and efficiency in tackling crime.

Business crime: PCC Bourne is delighted to have set up the Safer Sussex Business Partnership that brings together retailers across the county to work closely with Sussex Police to tackle issues affecting them. Sussex now has a dedicated Business Crime Team focusing on more efficient reporting processes and building intelligence to identify persistent offenders. This has helped with Business Crime Days of Action which target hotspots and offenders as well as offering prevention advice to businesses.

Rural crime: With around 62 per cent of Sussex being classed as ‘rural’ or ‘super-rural’, it was always important to PCC Bourne that a dedicated rural crime team was established. PCC Bourne said: “Working with Sussex Police, I established the rural crime team to focus specifically on agricultural, equine, wildlife and heritage issues. Having launched in 2020, the team continue to go from strength to strength as they serve the rural community, crack down on offenders and build solid working relationships with partner agencies.”

Road safety: PCC Bourne is the national lead for road safety for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. In October this year she launched Project EDWARD (Every Day Without a Road Death)’s week of action alongside Fire and Rescue Services in Brighton. In Sussex, the PCC has ensured that the force has the funds to secure the latest technology to be used to deal with collisions.

Community funding: Throughout her time in role, she has awarded nearly £2m to more than 450 community projects in Sussex that help to prevent crime.

Reflecting on her role PCC Bourne said: “I take this role incredibly seriously on behalf of people living, working in or visiting Sussex, making sure their concerns are heard and their local priorities are addressed. My core responsibilities are holding police to account and ensuring public money is spent wisely but the role also provides an opportunity to challenge and change aspects of national policing as well as inform government thinking.

“I am very fortunate to have a small team of very capable and dedicated staff who, like me, want to support Sussex Police and keep our county as safe as possible. There is so much going on behind the scenes that contributes to crime prevention, safer streets and ensuring the quality of services to support victims. It has been an enormous honour to be the Sussex PCC for the past ten years and I hope to be able to continue for as long as I have the public’s support.”

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