History

The Sussex Community Search Team was formed in 2015 to replace the previous Sussex Neighbourhood Watch Search Teams, which had been in operation since 2000. Over the years the volunteers were called out on numerous occasions. Their successes were recognised by the award of the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2014. This invaluable support is now being carried out by the Sussex Community Search Team.

Those previous search teams were created in the aftermath of the Sarah Payne tragedy, from which many lessons were learned, some of which led to the Child Rescue Alert (CRA), based on the American “AMBER Alert” system. CRA was first piloted by Sussex Police following Sarah's abduction and murder. It is a partnership between the police, the media and the public to enlist the public's help where:

• it is feared there is a real, immediate risk to the child’s life; and
• there is sufficient information available to enable the public to assist the police.

CRA alerts members of the public to the abduction or other high-risk disappearances quickly, and provides a mechanism for policing to be able to receive and prioritise critical information, such as sightings of the child, suspected offender or a specific vehicle.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) Investigations Command, on behalf of UK policing, manages and is responsible for the delivery of the CRA. The NCA offers advice and operational support to any police force considering its use.

More information about the CRA can be found here.