Witness who was refused assist to diffuse combat by Sussex PCSO says officer was taking part in on his telephone

The witness who filmed a Sussex Police PCSO refusing to attend a combat outdoors a Co-op has claimed the officer ‘simply could not be bothered and was extra desirous about scrolling by means of his telephone’ – as video of the grocery store fracas emerges. 

Fury is mounting after footage emerged of a PCSO refusing to attend an alleged assault simply seconds away from the place he was parked in Lancing – telling a member of the general public who approached him for assist ‘however then I am going to should cope with it’.

The member of the general public – who requested solely to be named as Michael – urged the officer sitting in his marked police automobile to drive to the Co-Op retailer across the nook the place it’s alleged a teenage shoplifter had assaulted a feminine shopper. 

Nevertheless, the Sussex Police PCSO refused to budge regardless of being parked lower than a minute away, telling Michael he was not a part of a response unit. The stunning dialog was captured on Michael’s automobile dash-cam on Thursday, with the footage going viral and inflicting a storm on-line.

Talking completely to MailOnline, Michael, a 43-year-old transport supervisor, at the moment stated: ‘What sort of message does this ship out? – The police refusing to police? 

‘The PCSO could not have appeared much less . He was very dismissive, all I bought from him was a ‘this is not my job’ vibe.

A witness says he requested a PCSO parked across the nook to attend the alleged combat outdoors Co-op in Lancing

‘I am not a response unit sadly,’ a police officer is heard saying in footage shared on-line

‘He advised me he wasn’t within the response staff so could not do something. However all he needed to do was drive across the nook to the Co-Op the place the girl had been assaulted and act as a visual deterrent.

‘The children who had been inflicting the hassle would not have stayed round to know whether or not he was a PCSO or a completely warranted officer. They might’ve scarpered as quickly as they noticed the automobile.

‘Failing that, he may have radioed for assist and bought the response staff spherical. However he did not do something. He simply sat there and advised me it wasn’t what he was there for.’

The officer’s response is now being reviewed by the power, who’ve apologised for the ‘clumsy language utilized by the PCSO’ as they examine. 

The incident comes as police are more and more criticised over excessive numbers of reported crimes that by no means end in a conviction.

Michael stated he had pushed to the Co-Op close to the centre of Lancing at round 6pm on Thursday simply as plenty of suspected teenage shoplifters had been attempting to make a getaway. 

He stated: ‘There was one lady, round 15-years-old, who was attempting to depart and he or she had a load of stuff hidden in her shoulder bag.

‘The safety guard had tried to cease her leaving however she screamed loudly in his face. She was clearly drunk and he was reluctant to problem her any additional as a result of she was so younger.

The officer was parked up on a road simply 200-300 yards from a Co-op retailer 

Good Morning Britain, who reported on the incident, stated it took them 26 seconds to make the journey the police officer would have needed to make

The officer is heard telling a member of the general public asking for assist ‘then I am going to should cope with it’

‘A number of clients took issues into their very own fingers and one lady bought right into a little bit of a tussle together with her.

‘The teenage lady seemed as if she was ingesting a can of Malibu and coke and he or she threw all of it into this lady’s face, f-ing and blinding, earlier than punching her.

‘At that time, myself and some others stepped in and cut up them up. The teenage lady kicked the sufferer’s bag away which had fallen onto the bottom and later walked off a method and her buddies one other. However the lady who’d been hit was actually shook up.

‘I drove away and a few minute later, I noticed the police automobile parked by the facet of the highway and after I slowed down I noticed there was an officer within the driver’s seat.

‘I advised him what occurred and thought he’d be spherical like a shot….however I used to be incorrect and was left in full disbelief that he could not be bothered to do something. It is such a tragic state of affairs and does not precisely instill you with a lot confidence.’

A former Scotland Yard detective, Mike Neville, advised MailOnline he was ‘appalled’ when he noticed the video, saying day-after-day the general public’s belief within the police ‘ebbs away’ and that the footage exhibits ‘police should not in your facet’. 

One other ex Scotland Yard detective, Peter Bleksley, has additionally since hit out at Sussex Police – telling Good Morning Britain the incident was a ‘dreadful look’ for the power and that an officer carrying a uniform and in a marked automobile ought to have handled the disturbance ‘and truly finished what they’re paid to do.’

In footage of the incident, a witness is heard telling the officer: ‘You’ll want to get round to the Co-op. Actually, there’s simply been a combat round there as a result of persons are attempting to cease the shoplifters that you just’re doing nothing about.

‘There is a member of the general public that is simply been assaulted by a 15-year-old lady who’s drunk, had a drink thrown in her face, bought punched.

‘Individuals have referred to as the police, we have come spherical right here and also you’re sitting right here.’

However the police officer advised him: ‘I am not a response unit sadly.’

The member of the general public then says: ‘I do know you are not, however the sight of the automobile will make them scatter. ‘

The police officer then replies: ‘Yeah however then I am going to should cope with it.’ 

‘Are you afraid to cope with it then,’ the person asks the officer, who tells him: ‘That is not the purpose.’

However the member of the general public is way from impressed and tells him: ‘It form of is the purpose, that is the notion.’

The officer then says: ‘It is why I am right here and never spherical there.’ 

Mike Neville, former Scotland Yard detective, advised MailOnline: ‘If you be part of the police you be part of to assist the group. They have to have the ability to cope with emergencies,’ he stated.

‘It is no good simply sitting there. I used to be appalled.

A spokesman from Sussex Police stated: ‘We’re conscious of video footage of a single-crewed Police Neighborhood Assist Officer (PCSO) being approached by a member of the general public to report an incident in Lancing’

Sussex Police are investigating a report of shoplifting and an alleged assault on the Co-op in Lancing on Thursday June 29 (inventory picture)

‘Why was a PCSO driving a marked police automobile? No matter they had been doing there, if there’s an emergency police have gotten to cease and cope with it.’

He stated the general public had been dropping belief within the police, including: ‘Every single day the belief ebbs away.

‘The typical working individual feels they’re being let down by the police, and this is only one instance.

‘PCSOs are designed for low stage crime and to trawl the streets.

‘The presence of a uniform may have defused the scenario.

‘The video exhibits once more that the police should not in your facet.’

Good Morning Britain, who reported on the incident, stated it took them 26 seconds to make the journey the police officer would have needed to make from the place he was parked as much as the Co-op. 

A spokesman from Sussex Police advised MailOnline: ‘We’re conscious of video footage of a single-crewed Police Neighborhood Assist Officer (PCSO) being approached by a member of the general public to report an incident in Lancing.

‘The matter was reported to us and a police officer attended the incident as an emergency.

‘The PCSO additionally then attended the scene.

‘The investigation right into a report of assault and shoplifting is topic of a stay investigation, and the sufferer has been contacted by officers.’

West Sussex native policing Superintendent Nick Dias stated: ‘Protecting the general public secure and feeling secure is paramount and our officers and PCSOs work arduous to deal with crime and anti-social behaviour, usually in difficult circumstances. We [work] intently with native retailers and companions to assist stop and reply to anti-social behaviour and assaults on store employees.

‘We’re sorry for the clumsy language utilized by the PCSO on this alternate and acknowledge the general public’s concern. 

‘A police unit was dispatched to the scene as a matter of precedence. Our response to this incident is being reviewed.’

Talking out concerning the incident, Peter Bleksley, former Scotland Yard Detective, advised GMB: ‘They’re carrying a police uniform, they’re in a marked car. They’re purported to be there as a presence in communities. That is crime being dedicated of their group.

‘That officer most undoubtedly ought to have responded or on the very least, bought on the radio and bought one other unit to go and attend this incident. 

‘This cuts throughout the entire belief within the police which as we all know is tanking and this police group help officer on this case, in my view, clearly got here method, method in need of what we must always anticipate from them.’

Individuals had been fast to touch upon the video on social media 

He added: ‘In my view, that officer ought to have attended this disturbance, handled any crime being reported and truly finished what they’re paid to do.

‘These officers receives a commission out of the general public purse, they’re there to reassure communities, to construct bridges with communities and to say ‘if I needed to cope with it’ or phrases to that impact ‘it isn’t my job’ is sort of frankly appalling.

‘That is the true core drawback with policing in 2023. The average majority of your viewers really feel that they’re let down by the police. Their burglaries should not investigated, when their automobile will get damaged into or stolen it’s not investigated – and that’s how the average majority normally have interaction with police – whether or not or not it’s a police constable or a group help officer.’

He described it as a ‘dreadful search for Sussex Police’ and policing in a wider context.

Individuals had been additionally fast to hit out on the incident on social media. 

A retired police officer tweeted: ‘I’m a ret police officer however whereas serving, I’d by no means not intervene in any incident going down, on or off responsibility. As for the officer presumably being a PCSO, they don’t carry officer security gear however can detain for 30 minutes which is ample time for police to reach!’

One other stated: ‘Whether or not a PCSO or not would have had extra security gear than the member of the general public that bought punched.’ 

A 3rd, commenting on the video, wrote: ‘If you cannot use police powers then you definitely should not be driving a marked automobile.’