Hastings former top detective's plea to government over policing cuts

A former senior detective with almost 40 years experience with Sussex Police has called on the Home Secretary to review the entire policing system to reverse the impact of large-scale cuts.
Kevin Moore as a rural beat officer at Camber Sands 1980 attending Camber Village fete with his wife Ann MooreKevin Moore as a rural beat officer at Camber Sands 1980 attending Camber Village fete with his wife Ann Moore
Kevin Moore as a rural beat officer at Camber Sands 1980 attending Camber Village fete with his wife Ann Moore

Kevin Moore, who joined the force in June 1978 aged 21, launched a petition asking Sajid Javid to ‘protect and improve policing in the UK’ by holding a Royal Commission.

The 61-year-old, who retired in January, said: “A Royal Commission can look at every single aspect of policing and look at what can be done. That’s what happened in 1960.

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“We need to ask ourselves what we want from the police. Currently, politicians are asking them to do too much. If they are not prepared to fund them, then it simply is going to fail.”

As an officer who formally served Hastings, Camber, Brighton and Eastbourne, Mr Moore said he was ‘heartbroken’ to see cuts being made across the county – which have resulted in 700 less Sussex Police officers than eight years ago.

He launched his petition – which has since gathered more than 256,000 signatures – because he said he cares deeply about the communities and ‘the state of our policing’.

He added: “I’ve been referred to as a disgruntled ex-police officer who is making a bit of noise but it’s not that. I actually care.

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“The only reason I retired from policing was because I thought it was the right time, at the age of 61, after almost 40 years with the police.”

Mr Moore, whose father was also a serving police officer, started out as a beat officer in Brighton before becoming a rural beat patrol officer in Camber.

He later entered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), as a detective constable, where he served as the senior detective in charge of the CID at Hastings and Eastbourne.

He retired as a police officer in 2009 before taking up a position with the newly formed SE Regional Organised Crime Unit as a civilian member of police staff.

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Following his full retirement in January, he expressed dismay at the consequences budget cuts have had on policing, while acknowledging the work officers carry out on a daily basis.

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