Figures raise doubts about Sussex Police effectiveness

An article headed '˜Lack of bobbies on the beat denied' contained some figures that raised doubts in my mind about the effectiveness of Sussex Police.
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It appears that the force had 120,000 crimes reported to it and is aiming to increase the number of its officers from 2,500 to 2,700 by 2022.

However, not taking this report at face value, I dug a little deeper and worked out that, with 2,400 crimes a week being dealt with by a force 2,500 strong, this averaged out at just one crime a week for each of the county’s officers to deal with.

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That being the case the term ‘the thin blue line’ looks to me more like ‘the under-employed blue line’, which will be even more under-stretched once the 200 extra officers have been recruited.

Sussex PoliceSussex Police
Sussex Police

Or have mathematics changed out of all recognition since I attended Hastings Grammar School back in the dim and distant past?

Eric Waters

Ingleside Crescent, Lancing

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