Sussex Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing in the whole of Sussex. Its jurisdiction covers the ceremonial counties of East Sussex and West Sussex. The force is headquartered in Malling House, Lewes, East Sussex.
History
Policing in the county can be traced back to Brighton Borough Police established in 1830. A few years later on 13 March 1844, Chief Constable Henry Solomon was murdered in his office by a prisoner he was interviewing. He is believed to be the only chief officer to have suffered such a fate. Prior to 1830 local watchmen were appointed to provide some degree of law enforcement in the area. In 1812, there were some 12 watchmen who were responsible for the town. By 1814 the number had grown to 28 and at this time the title of constable was in use for them. By 1868 the force had grown to 100 officers and helmets replaced top hats. In 1918, the first woman was appointed as a police officer in this force. By 1930, it had grown to 216 officers. On 14 September 1933, Brighton Borough Police were the first force to introduce police radios.
Forces were established at various times for the counties of East Sussex and West Sussex, as well as separate forces in the boroughs of Brighton, Hove, Eastbourne and Hastings. In April 1943, in order to provide a co-ordinated approach to the wartime emergency, these forces were amalgamated to form the Sussex Combined Police, with headquarters at Haywards Heath. In April 1947, with the exception of Hove, policing reverted to the old system for another two decades. Hove remained part of East Sussex Constabulary.
On 1 January 1968, Sussex Constabulary was created from the amalgamation of Brighton Borough Police, Eastbourne Borough Police, Hastings Borough Police, West Sussex Constabulary and East Sussex Constabulary. In 1974, the amalgamated forces became Sussex Police.
Chief constables
Brighton Constabulary
Henry Solomon appointed 18 May 1838 (murdered in 1844 by prisoner) Thomas Hayter Chase appointed 22 May 1844 George White appointed 21 December 1853 Owen Crowhurst appointed 7 December 1876 Isaiah Barnden appointed 8 August 1877 James Terry appointed 6 April 1881 Thomas Carter appointed 27 January 1894 Sir William Gentle appointed 26 September 1901 Charles Griffin appointed 5 June 1920 William James Hutchinson appointed 1 December 1933 Charles Field Williams Ridge appointed 1 July 1956 Albert Edgar Rowsell appointed 28 October 1957 William Thomas Cavey appointed 8 October 1963 Brighton amalgamated with East Sussex Constabulary, West Sussex Constabulary, Hastings and Eastbourne Constabularies to form Sussex Constabulary, 1968 Sussex Constabulary 1968–1972: Thomas Christopher Williams (died 9 September 1972) 1973–1983: George Terry 1983–1993: Roger Birch 1993–2001: Paul Chapple Whitehouse 2001–2006: Kenneth Lloyd Jones 2006–2007: Joseph Edwards 2008–2014: Martin Richards 2014–2020: Giles York 2020–present Jo Shiner
Sussex Police Roll of Honour
The Police Roll of Honour Trust and Police Memorial Trust list and commemorate all British police officers killed in the line of duty. Since its establishment in 1984, the Police Memorial Trust has erected 50 memorials nationally to some of those officers. A list of officers of Sussex Police and its predecessors who died on duty (in progress) is shown below:
Key to rank abbreviations: A/x = Acting • CC = Chief Constable • ACC = Assistant Chief Constable • CEO = Civilian Explosives Officer • Cmdr = Commander • DC = Detective Constable • DI = Detective Inspector • DS = Detective Sergeant • Insp = Inspector • PC = Police Constable • Sgt = Sergeant • SPC = Special Police Constable • Stn Sgt = Station Sergeant • Supt = Superintendent • WPC = Woman Police Constable • WRC = War Reserve Constable.
Old Police Cells Museum
Opened on 4 May 2005 by Councillor Pat Drake, the then mayor of Brighton & Hove, the Old Police Cells Museum is located in the basement of Brighton Town Hall and offers an educational and entertaining insight into the history of policing within Sussex.
It provides an opportunity to visit Brighton Borough main police station for the period 1830 to 1967 and learn about the murder of Chief Constable Henry Solomon in 1844 by a prisoner. It is possible to view the old cells with their graffiti from the mods and rockers era, the policemen's wash room and uniform store areas, police memorabilia and artifacts. The museum also houses a unique collection of truncheons and tipstaffs, one of the largest in the country. This collection was made by Alderman Caffyn throughout his lifetime and is on permanent loan to the Museum from the Sussex Police Authority.