Praise for Sussex Police’s fight against business crime as new system boasts one touch reporting

Sussex Police has been praised for its work fighting business crime as a one touch reporting pilot launched.
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After the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) published its Violence and Abuse Towards Retail Workers First Report, Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said she acknowledged the committee’s recommendations and welcomed recognition of the progress made in Sussex to tackle business crime.

She said: “I have already been encouraging many of our newly-elected PCCs to share the approach of my Safer Sussex Business Partnership to better understand the scale of shoplifting, abuse and assaults and examine the reporting, recording and police response to it.”

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Katy added that there is a need to overcome data-sharing barriers to help identify prolific offenders and trends and reporting incidents needs to be made much easier for shopworkers.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne. Photo: Steve RobardsSussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne. Photo: Steve Robards
Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne. Photo: Steve Robards

She said: “It’s essential for the future of our high streets and the communities they serve that all PCC’s include business crime and retail crime in particular in their policing priorities.

“I am very encouraged by the way that Sussex Police has gripped business crime with a Divisional Commander now leading a dedicated team that includes specially trained officers in our call centre and support for businesses to capture and transfer vital digital evidence of incidents.

“The One Touch Reporting pilot with the Co-op and NBCS in Sussex, highlighted in the HASC report, could and should be extended to other retailers and other forces and, as the APCC Business Crime Lead, I will be championing good practice and innovative technology to make stores safe and pleasant places in which to shop and work.”