Stalking and harassment: An inspection of Sussex Police commissioned by the police and crime commissioner, and an update on national recommendations in HMICFRS’s 2017 report

Published on: 10 April 2019

Publication types: Police and Crime Commissioners

Police Forces: Sussex

Summary

In 2016/17, together with Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI), we carried out a thematic inspection of the way that the police and the CPS dealt with stalking and harassment. The resulting report, Living in fear – the police and CPS response to harassment and stalking, was published in July 2017. We visited Sussex Police as part of that inspection.

In the report, we concluded that both stalking and harassment crimes were relatively commonplace and could in some instances have a serious effect on victims.

We found that the police response had often let down victims, and because of this we made several recommendations for improvement.

The police and crime commissioner for Sussex asked us to carry out a further detailed inspection of the Sussex Police response to stalking and harassment. Part A of this report deals specifically with what we found. Part B looks at what police forces and national organisations have done to improve the police response and we give an update on the progress made against our recommendations.

Get the report

Stalking and harassment: An inspection of Sussex Police commissioned by the police and crime commissioner, and an update on national recommendations in HMICFRS’s 2017 report (PDF document)
Please note: two dates in the penultimate paragraph on p.20 amended on 11 April 2019.

Get the press release

Sussex Police and national organisations make progress in their handling of stalking and harassment cases