Chief Constable Ken Jones today promised to reverse a policy which means minor crimes are not investigated.

He spoke out after we revealed yesterday his officers had refused to investigate a hit-and-run offence because it was not deemed serious enough.

Victim Mick Griffiths, 49, of North Place, Brighton, was stunned when he received a letter saying he should seek alternative means to resolve the incident.

Police told him people and money were allocated according to Force Performance Plan priorities, focusing on violent crime, burglary, car crime and reducing road deaths and community disorder.

But today Mr Jones said his officers should have investigated the incident.

He said: "My view of policing is that people like Mr Griffiths should have their incidents investigated and we will reverse this policy."

Priorities meant what police should do first, not that lower priority crimes should not be investigated at all.

Mr Griffiths, a company transport manager, was driving a work minibus when it was rammed by another car which sped away.

Leaving the scene of an accident is against the law and punishable by up to six months' imprisonment, £5,000 in fines and at least five penalty points.

Although Mr Griffiths gave police the suspect's registration details, they said the crash did not meet their criteria for investigation because no one was injured.

Mr Griffiths said: "It is great to hear what Ken Jones is saying but this policy has been going on for some time.

"How many people have been affected by this and who was responsible for the policy in the first place?"

The new chief constable took up his post on January 7. Mr Jones said he would be contacting Mr Griffiths about the hit-and-run incident and the police response to it.