Specialist unit to target Sussex’s most wanted and dangerous suspects
A new ‘highly specialised’ police unit has been launched to track and catch Sussex’s most wanted and dangerous criminals using the road network.
The Specialist Enforcement Unit (SEU) will carry out disruption and enforcement operations on the county’s roads, targeting those involved in serious, organised and violent crime.
Formed of more than 30 highly-trained officers and detectives, the unit will identify, intercept and apprehend offenders as they travel, seize drugs and stolen goods and investigate crimes through to conviction.
Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: “The launch of the Specialist Enforcement Unit is providing extra, visible and robust policing on Sussex’s roads, with the ability to deter, detect and disrupt those intent on travelling to commit crime.
“They use both marked and unmarked vehicles and are equipped with the latest technology to identify and intercept known offenders, target hot spots, and support colleagues in making the roads safer for everyone – one of our key priorities.
“From drugs and violent crime, to people trafficking, child exploitation and theft, most criminals have to use the roads which are therefore prime hunting ground for the police.
“The SEU is charged with relentlessly pursuing and catching some of our most dangerous and prolific criminals by denying them use of the roads.”
The unit will sit across the Roads Policing Unit and regional Tactical Enforcement Units (TEUs) set up over the last year in East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.
WhiletheTEUsoperatelocally, often acting on intelligence from the community to tackle criminals in their regions, the SEU will work higher up the chain.
This new specialised unit will sit across all three of the local teams to suffocate Sussex’s entire road network, investigate the criminals at the source of much of Sussex’s crime and be drafted in to support the TEUs when needed.
“Whilewecan’tbeeverywhere, we could be anywhere,” said Mrs Shiner. “Criminals will not know where we are or what we’re up to.”
Each member trained in firearms and advanced driving techniques, the SEU consists of one Inspector, three Sergeants, 27PoliceConstablesandthreedog units, supported by a number of investigators.
So far the unit has clocked up more than 750 officer hours on visible work across Sussex, made 17 arrests for supply of class A drugs, money laundering and drug-related motoring offences, seized six vehicles and made 93 seizures of class A drugs.
During one job alone they seized £10,000 worth of cocaine, £20,000 cash and safeguarded a 16-year-old involved in county lines drug dealing.
The pandemic has forced many criminals online, causing surges in fraud and sexual offences, but the SEU exists on the fundamental principle that criminals, particularly those in the drug trade, will have to use the roads to get around.
Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said evolutions in technology meant crime bosses now drove around in ‘mobile offices’, creating opportunities to catch them in transit.
“Gone are the days where they sat in their big offices and dictated down,” she said. “A lot of them are very hands on and they move around.”
Mrs Bourne said stifling crime at the source would see the benefits filter down into the community, reducing the number of people stealing to fund drug habits, safeguarding young people caught up in county lines while decreasing anti-social behaviour and violence on the streets.
“I think this sends a hugely strong message to the criminal fraternity that Sussex is not open for business and if you use the roads to offend or perpetrate your criminal activity, be warned,” she said.
“I look forward to seeing this team in action in the near future once it is safe to do so. In the meantime, I will be receiving regular updates, including details of the criminals they catch on our roads.”
The creation of the SEU has been largely driven by an increase in police numbers brought about by the Government’s Uplift programme and a council tax increase last year aimed at recruiting more officers.
The Uplift programme is a pledge from Prime Minister Boris Johnson to recruit 20,000 extra police officers nationwide by March 2023, following the removal of around the same number over the last decade.
Sussex Police has also received more than £4million of Government funding over the last 12 months, including £880,000 specifically to set up violence reduction units like the Tactical Enforcement and Specialist Enforcement units.
Last week Mrs Bourne increased the amount of council tax dedicated to policing by the maximum amount – £15 per month for a Band D property – which is discussed in more detail on Page 15.
She said increased investment wasnecessarytosustainunitsand continue to recruit new officers.
Since the last precept rise in 2018, more than 200 new officers have been recruited through both tax funding and the Uplift programme.
Another 121 are expected to come from the Government over 2021/22 and Mrs Bourne said the precept rise should bring another 50 new officers this year.
The pandemic has also seen fewer officers retiring, she added,whichhelpsmaintainstaff numbers and vital experience.
The extra tax will also go towards investments in technology to support greater efficiency and officers’ mental well-being.
Rather than having to trawl through hard-drives packed with thousands of indecent images, for example, officers can now use technology to extract the data, saving time and reducing stress.
According to Mrs Bourne, raisingthepreceptwassupported by more than 70 per cent of the public asked in a consultation and received ‘overwhelming’ crossparty support at the Police and Crime Panel.
Of its 19 members, 17 supported the rise, one opposed and one abstained. Now, she said, isthetimetoshowareturnonthat investment.
“They want to see the outcomes, so absolutely this is what this unit is there to do,” she said.
“We will see a reduction in violent crime, we will see more criminalstakenoffthestreetsand we will deny them access across Sussex.”