In recent weeks the pressure on Sussex Police has increased as a result of a TV programme called ‘Inside Out – South East’ which I wrote about on the following day here. The programme focused on the impact of cuts on the Police service with a particular emphasis on the time taken for 101 calls to be answered. It was very noticeable in the programme that the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner refused to be interviewed even though she is usually very happy to promote her role in public. When the Hove MP Peter Kyle asked this question the response from the Home Office came across as being equally out of touch and unaccountable. Although the Inside Out programme itself was not focused on policing more widely, the need to gather data is not new. It was the Home Office a few years ago that chose to call for all Constabularies to publish data on how many times they use force in a range that begins with the voluntary use of handcuffs to the use of firearms. If the Home Office is not gathering data on 101 calls, this must surely prevent each Police Service from having a standard or average to compare against. It would also assist broadcasters in knowing how well each force is doing and ensure that the Home Office understands that its cuts are impacting far more than on the number of police officers being recruited. After all the staff who work in a Constabulary play a vital role in the service delivery!