OVER the last few years we have endured dramatic cuts to our police force.

The force has tried to prevent this having an impact on frontline services but that hasn’t always been possible.

Officer numbers are down and some police stations have had to close – including Peacehaven’s, which was shut in September 2016.

No matter how the police tried to spin it, there were always going to be consequences. And, unfortunately, the people of Peacehaven appear to be suffering from them.

The residents we spoke to told of their fears and vulnerability.

In particular they singled out the Meridian Centre as a hotbed of crime. Some even said they avoided the shopping centre, once a hub of the community, for fear of trouble.

When residents who have lived in the town for decades are having to alter their lives for fear of crime then something has to be done.

Nobody is doubting that Sussex Police bosses have a job on their hands trying to balance the books at a time of huge budget cuts.

However, they must take care not to cut too deep.

We need officers on the street. We need police stations in our towns and there has to be that link with the community.

The people of Peacehaven are well and truly fed up. They fear the disorder could get even worse if young people know they won’t have to face consequences for their actions.

Sussex Police bosses need to look careful at what is happening in the town. If they continue to cut as they have been then this situation could play out in towns and villages across the county.