Sussex Police joined police forces across the country last week (18-24 March) for Spiking Intensification Week, a national week of action to raise awareness of all we and our partners are doing to combat spiking, protect the public and bring perpetrators to justice.
Working with partners, officers and staff carried out a range of engagement and intensification activities to complement the tireless work that goes into tackling spiking all year round.
They visited schools, colleges, and community groups across the county to educate on the dangers of spiking, what to do if you think you are a victim and the support that is out there from police and partners.
We also ramped up our engagement with licensed venues, who work closely with us to make sure their customers are protected. They were given anti-spiking measures such as StopTopps, educated on how to identify vulnerable or suspicious people, and advised on what to do should someone fall victim to spiking.
Our licensing teams were also on hand to help licensed venues and taxis adhere to their responsibilities and help keep their customers safe.
All of this activity goes on all year round, but the national intensification week helps to shine a spotlight on this important issue.
Home Secretary James Cleverly visited Sussex on Thursday (21 March) to see how much work goes into combatting spiking.
Our officers and partners in Crawley talked about the importance of community engagement and working with licensed venues to keep people safe and catch offenders.
At Sussex Police HQ in Lewes, we showed off our keen-nosed sniffer dogs, trained to pick out anyone carrying illegal drugs. They are deployed around the night-time economy to help stop people sneaking harmful substances into venues.
Sussex is a safe place to enjoy a night out, which is testimony to the range of safety measures in place. They include:
Dedicated high-visibility patrols around the night-time economy and hotspot areas.
Specially trained Night Safety Marshals to identify and help vulnerable people, signpost to services and link in with police officers via dedicated radios
Our licensing teams work with venues to raise awareness around vulnerability and regularly hold briefings with security staff prior to opening
Licensed venues have increased searches at the door, extra training for staff, lids for cups, on-site medics, safe spaces for people in distress and much more
The Safe Space Sussex directory shows designated Safe Spaces near you where you can go for assistance and have a safe space to contact someone you trust or the emergency services.
Sniffer dogs deployed to find illegal substances and act as a deterrent
A dedicated VAWG drone along Brighton beach to spot vulnerability at night
Taxi marshals to help people get home safely
Beach patrol in Brighton to protect vulnerable people on the seafront
Street pastors to get vulnerable people to a safe space
Anti-spiking measures such as StopTopps
Eight dedicated CCTV cameras which are moveable to hotspot areas
Detective Chief Superintendent Richard McDonagh, Sussex Police’s Head of Public Protection, said: “Everyone should be able to enjoy a night out in safety without falling victim to predatory behaviour.
“Tackling spiking is something Sussex Police and its partners takes extremely seriously, allied to our commitment to protecting women and girls, who we know are disproportionately affected by spiking.
“That commitment extends to making sure victims are supported while we investigate and secure the justice they deserve.
“If you believe you have been a victim of spiking or any crime on a night out, report it to bar staff or a police officer as soon as possible. You can also report crimes online through the Sussex Police website, via 101 or by calling 999 in an emergency.”
Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “It is reassuring to see many organisations working closely with Sussex Police to protect people from spiking and I am grateful to the Home Secretary for his visit and for taking such an interest in the Sussex approach during Anti-Spiking Intensification Week.”
You’d hope that the police would object to spiking intensification not participate in it!