A RETIRED chief wrote a stinging letter attacking the record of Sussex’s police and crime commissioner in a row over officer numbers.

Former Chief Superintendent Kevin Moore accused PCC Katy Bourne of focussing more on self promotion than addressing residents’ concerns about crime.

In a letter to Lewes Conservative Party, he said Mrs Bourne has lost the support of retired senior officers, and many current officers as well, prompting him to write to the members.

The former head of Sussex Police’s CID said he was “concerned” that Mrs Bourne was seeking a third term in her role and claims she has not done enough to stop police cuts to officers on the beat.

In reply, Mrs Bourne said Mr Moore was one of a “small number” of people who “incessantly” complained, and accused him of “preferring fake news to facts”. The row has escalated over recent months, when Mr Moore criticised Mrs Bourne about the loss of 700 police officers during the past eight years of Tory-led Government.

He said the council tax precept rise proposed by Mrs Bourne to bring in an extra 200 officers was a “drop in the ocean” and will not be enough to help hard-pressed officers on the ground.

Mr Moore wrote: “The vast majority of the cuts have occurred while the PCC has been in her post.

“She continues, along with senior Sussex officers, to suggest to the public that all is well with policing in the county when clearly it is not.

“In her weekly newsletter, she consistently promotes herself rather than talking about the very real concerns that people have regarding the delivery of policing services.”

She said: “I am happy to say it again – Sussex is getting more police officers. Of course, I would like to have many more, just as we would all like, for example, to have more nurses in our hospitals, more teachers in our schools, and more soldiers in our Armed Forces.

“The reality though is that responsible governance of public services and budgets means we need to provide the best possible services with the funding that is available.”

She has been the PCC since 2012 and is expected to stand again in 2020.

She said: “While I have already addressed the same questions in both correspondence and through the media, it appears these individuals prefer to perpetuate unsubstantiated fake news to facts.”