Sussex Police Authority -
What We Do

Sussex Police Authority sets the strategic direction for policing in Sussex and holds the Chief Constable to account for the policing service delivered.

Responsibility for policing Sussex is shared between:

• The Home Secretary - who is responsible to Parliament for providing policing services throughout England and Wales;
• The Chief Constable - who has operational responsibility to ensure that the aims of the Home Secretary and the Police Authority are implemented;
• Sussex Police Authority - which has statutory duties to ensure an efficient and effective police service in Sussex.

The Police Authority's duties include:

• Approving and publishing an annual Local Policing Plan, in consultation with the Chief Constable, designed to deliver both Government and local policing priorities.
• Consulting with the community about local policing priorities for inclusion in the Local Policing Plan.
  Click here to find out about our consultations.
• Allocating the financial resources to achieve the plan.
• Agreeing local targets as set out in the plan to align with national targets and ministerial priorities as set by the Home Secretary.
• Monitoring the performance of Sussex Police during the year including financial performance against the budget.
• Reporting back into the community at the end of the financial year on the extent to which the plan has been met.
• Securing continuous improvement through the Best Value process.
• Overseeing the process of complaints against police officers and discipline of senior officers.
• Managing an independent custody visiting scheme to check on conditions in cells and the welfare of people held.
• Working in consultation with the community to ensure policing by consent.