Calling the police

In an emergency, particularly if you see a crime in progress, call 999. Do not be scared: the police call centre will assess the urgency of your call.

For matters that are not an emergency but still urgent --- such as reporting a crime that has taken place, or suspicious activity or persons --- you should call 0845-6070-999 or e-mail http://www.sussex.police.uk/contact_us.asp. You can also e-mail reports to the local Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator --- for some reason, now called the Community Contact Co-ordinator --- at communitycontact.rother@sussex.pnn.police.uk: she will copy your e-mail to the police.

If you have information about a crime, call 0800-555111: you can call anonymously.

If you are the victim of anti-social behaviour, call Emily Chironda on 07786-027014.

If you are still not sure what to do, talk to your local Neighbourhood Watch street co-ordinator or call Winchelsea Neighbourhood Watch on 01797 225333. Other useful contacts are:

• Crime Prevention Office, Lee Harris, on 0845-6070-999 extension 64215
• www.sussex.police.uk for advice about crime prevention
• subscribe to the Neighbourhood Watch/Community Contact e-mail alert by e-mailing cc.registration@sussex.pnn.police.uk

Crime in Winchelsea

Winchelsea is fortunate in not suffering from a chronic crime problem. The purpose of the Neighbourhood Watch is therefore to try to prevent occasional burglaries and car break-ins by encouraging residents to be vigilant and report suspicious activities or persons to the police and to maintain a network of co-ordinators which can be called into action in the event of a serious incident or emergency.

How the NBW is organised in Winchelsea

Neighbourhood Watch tries to ensure that there is a co-ordinator in each street and, in longer streets, one co-ordinator in each row of houses. Each co-ordinator is part of a telephone tree, which allows messages to be passed quickly around the village. It is then up to each co-ordinator to contact his or her neighbours to pass on information. Each co-ordinator also has a deputy, who can stand in for the co-ordinator if the latter is absent.

The name of the co-ordinator and his deputy for your street is available in the Community Office. If your street does not yet have a co-ordinator, please consider taking on the role. Otherwise, you will be out in the cold. Remember, Neighbourhood Watch is about a community helping itself. To volunteer as a street co-ordinator, contact Richard Comotto on 225333 or talk to any of the existing street co-ordinators.

Occasionally, Neighbourhood Watch notices will be posted on the noticeboard outside the Little Shop with alerts about crimes in the area, warnings of possible future criminal activity and other useful information. Some of these alerts and advice on how to protect yourself from fraudsters are listed in the panel on the right and can be viewed by clicking on the links. To receive such information directly, you can sign up to an e-mail service run by the area Neighbourhood Watch.

The police

Winchelsea is part of Area ER3 within the East Sussex Division. The area includes Camber, East Guldeford, Icklesham, Iden, Playden, Rye, Rye Foreign, Rye Harbour and Winchelsea Beach. The District Commander is Chief Inspector Stephan Brookman, who can be contacted on rother@sussex.pnn.police.uk. The officer in charge of Rye and Battle is Inspector Heather Keating. Recent changes to policing include the formation of Neighbourhood Policing Teams, re-opening the police station at Rye and a more visible police presence on the streets.

Rye Police Station is at:

The Rye Neighbourhood sergeant is:

Higher police visibility has been achieved through the use of part-time auxiliaries called Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s). You may notice our PCSO's walking around the Town (do introduce yourself). To contact them, call:

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