Friday 20th December 2024

Sussex Alerts - Lewes and Seahaven Police

As we head into the last weekend before Christmas 2024, we wanted to take the time to wish you all a very Happy Christmas, and a prosperous New Year from all the teams across Lewes and Seahaven.

Out and about this week

Earlier this week officers visited Seahaven academy in Newhaven to catch up with students and lecturers.
 

Officers joined by local PCSOs were on hand to speak to students on a range of topics from keeping safe online, to road safety and careers with Sussex Police for when students come to looking at their career options after leaving education 

The afternoon was also a chance for officers to catch up with teachers to discuss any concerns they had.

Including looking at ways together schools and police can help support students, as well as discussing topics such as parking around schools, and anti-social behaviour in the area, with teachers and police looking to facilitate an assembly or similar discussion with students in the new year.

Christmas patrols

This week we’ve been out and about across the district on various patrols, stopping in on your local shops, offering crime prevention advice, updates on arrests and following up on enquiries, as well as visiting as many Christmas markets and community events as we could to catch up with residents and shoppers ahead of the big day.

We continue to work hard over Christmas to keep you safe and continue to be here if you need us.

Contact us 24/7, 365 days a year online or by calling 101 (all non-emergencies), and always call 999 in an emergency.

If you need support or are feeling overwhelmed at this time of year, there are also a number of local and national charities you can reach out to, remember, you are not alone this Christmas.

Stay safe, and Merry Christmas.

Operation Downsway continues

Whilst a number of additional Police Operations and roadside checks this month, our commitment to responding to community concerns around excess speeding continues.

Following reports from locals in Seaford, two reported areas for excess speed were given checks by officers from your Lewes Neighbourhood Policing Teams, who conducted speed checks on the A259 at the junction of Chyngton Gardens, and Alfriston Road, Seaford, earlier this month.

During the course of their checks, officers spoke with a number of drivers at the roadside regarding their driving, and others exceeding the limit for the roads will hear from police in due course.

Speeding remains one of the top 5 contributors to serious and fatal collisions on the roads of Sussex each year, under Operation Downsway; the Force's response to tackling the fatal 5 driving offences, we continue to conduct checks across the district at varying times to help keep roads safe for all road users in the area, as well as continue to encourage residents to report offences to us at the time.

If speeding is an issue in your area, please report it to us at the time, either online or by calling 101 - all reports from local communities help to direct these checks in areas which have seen an increase or regular excess speeding.

In an emergency or serious road traffic accident always call 999.

Operation Hope

Sadly statistics show that incidents of domestic abuse tend to rise over the Christmas period, highlighting the importance of proactive engagement with both high-risk victims and offenders. Over the last few weeks, and into Christmas and New Year, officers and specialist support workers continue to carry out discreet safeguarding visits to individuals identified as being at high risk of domestic abuse.

The highest-harm perpetrators are managed through Sussex Police’s Complex Domestic Abuse and Stalking Unit (CDASU), which works to limit their ability to reoffend while collaborating with partner agencies to encourage behaviour change. Officers from the CDASU will be actively engaging with these perpetrators throughout the festive season.

Operation Hope builds on Sussex Police’s commitment to tackling domestic abuse, following its recent support for the UN’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence—a global campaign aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls.

Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Lewis said: “Christmas should be a time of joy and celebration, but sadly for some people, more time at home means they are at a greater risk of violence and abuse.

“Domestic abuse devastates lives every day of the year, and we and our partners remain committed to protecting victims, whatever the occasion. For those who need extra support or protection during this festive season, our message is clear: we are here for you.

“If you are in an abusive or controlling relationship, please know that you are not alone, and help is available.”

Anyone in need of support can report to Sussex Police via 101, online, or by calling 999 in an emergency. 

If calling 999 and unable to speak, pressing 55 will connect callers to the police automatically.

Sussex Police employs specialist investigative teams to handle domestic abuse cases and offers discreet video call interviews to respond efficiently to victims. Additionally, the force leads a multi-agency domestic abuse perpetrator project targeting the highest-risk, most dangerous offenders to reduce harm and repeat victimisation.

Contact us

For non-emergency incidents or crime prevention advice, click  www.sussex.police.uk,  (If you report a crime online, we will assess it in the same way as a 101 call).  

Call 101 when you do not require an urgent response. In an emergency when life is threatened or there is immediate danger always call 999. 

Speak to us face-to-face at a police station or contact the local policing team at www.sussex.police.uk/area/your-area.  

If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, you can contact us using TypeTalk on 18000 or by sending a text to 65999.