By Richard Smith Home Affairs Correspondent, BBC South East Today

Sussex residents can expect to see more police on the beat

The Chief Constable of Sussex Police has said his force has lost touch with the community it serves, and has vowed to put more officers on the beat in an attempt to win back public confidence.

Ken Jones has made the promise after just over a year in the post.

"I think policing generally in the UK, not just in Sussex, has gone down some cul-de-sacs in the last 10 years", he said.

"We thought that bigger was better and bigger units kept away from communities were the best way to handle demand.

"I think this was a mistake and we need to get back into communities."

Named officers to contact

The previous years have seen several controversial incidents for Sussex Police, including the shooting of a man in a flat in Hastings, a botched murder investigation in Brighton, and the ultimate departure of the former chief constable Paul Whitehouse.

A re-vamp of the way the force is run has involved a massive re-organisation of the way frontline officers work.

Ken Jones admits police have made mistakes

"Neighbourhood policing teams" have been created for every area, with Chief Inspectors directly accountable to the communities they serve.

Each resident in the county is also to be given a named police officer to contact if, or when, the need arises.

Mr Jones said he was also happy to be associated with the phrase "bobbies on the beat", but added that there would not be a return to officers aimlessly wandering the streets just to reassure the public.

He said the force would still be using the techniques of intelligence-led policing while on patrol.

'More reassurance'

PC Gary Williams has been with the force for almost 30 years, and sees the change as a return to a more traditional style of policing.

"There's more officers now working out of the Peacehaven office, which must give people more reassurance," he said.

"Equally there are more high visibility patrols and local officers having more contact with local people."

The plan also involves the re-opening of several police stations, and extended opening hours at others.

Gary Williams joined the police nearly 30 years ago

But Peacehaven's police office will remain closed to the public, despite the fact that 10 officers are now based there.

The Chief Constable said the situation was under review but would not promise when or if the office would re-open.

People on the streets of Peacehaven have expressed surprise at the changes.

Several people spoken to by the BBC said they had not noticed any more officers on the beat or in patrol cars.

"I haven't seen a policeman here for at least two years," said one man.

"Tell them to get them out on the streets where they can be seen."

The Chief Constable has admitted it will take some time for the public to be convinced of the changes, or even to see a difference.

But Mr Jones said the force was in for the long haul, and the mood would not change overnight.

r.smith@bbc.co.uk