Well, Yes. That's The Issue, Isn't It?

Chief Inspector Dee Wells said: “We are aware of people’s concerns in this area, and we continue to work with the community and our partners, including Brighton and Hove City Council and charities, to tackle the issue of drug dealing and use.

“While circumstances may have changed in recent weeks due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, our policing approach hasn’t.”

Sadly, I believe you...

One resident said: “We are getting constant groups of intoxicated people meeting up, drinking, taking and dealing drugs on the street.

“In the last few weeks of lockdown we have seen no police officers or community support officers in the area, I’m assuming because they are busy on the beach and other areas where people are taking their daily exercise.”

Another resident said: “New Steine Gardens is a hotspot for drug dealing, drug taking and antisocial behaviour and it seems to be a prime meeting place for these activities.

“Usually we would not go in there in the summer to sit in the sun because there have been needles, bodily fluids, and human excrement on the green as well as threatening behaviour from these people if you refuse to give them money.

“They are ignoring social distancing rules.

“Officers who arrived on patrol just moved them on, there were no threats of fines, no searches or arrests. “It is an absolute joke that these people are allowed to do whatever they like.”

Meanwhile a supermarket customer in Western Road, Brighton, said: “There are huge problems with junkies. “Shop managers have said the police have not bothered to do anything about it.

“There was a group outside Sainsbury’s blocking people and hassling them in the queue, including hassling an old lady with a walking stick.

“Customers are being harassed and are frightened, meanwhile outside Waitrose they have been going up and down the queue begging people for drugs money.

“It would be really good to be able to go shopping safely without that kind of stuff going on.”

Yup, certainly looks like your approach (ignore persistent offending and target people who won't fight back instead) hasn't changed one bit, doesn't it?