HOLDING disciplinary meetings in private goes against the principle of transparency that helps to maintain public trust in the police.

Sussex Police has not breached any regulations. But kicking an officer out of the force after he was caught drink driving, and keeping that quiet, does not have the right feeling of openness that we would expect.

The press needs to be able to attend these hearings to hear why these decisions are made. This is a national issue which affects Sussex Police.

This is why we teamed up with the New Statesman, to look at the wider issue.

The Argus has done this investigation entirely with the view that transparency will only help to maintain the trust and respect that Sussex Police deserves.

Its officers are a credit to the county and the stories we run as a whole do reflect that. Their amazing work in catching the cat killer, for example, was exemplary.

We have been holding meetings about misconduct hearings and feel there has been excellent progress.

When we report on dismissals it reassures everyone that when officers fall below the standards needed, they will be removed.

Sussex Police are bound by legislation which needs to change to ensure forces up and down the country maintain the right transparency.

We want to be able to cover these hearings in full in future to show how the force is dealing with any issue in the right way and to give a fair and balanced report - both the allegations and the arguments of the officers involved.