Sussex Police step up patrols and awareness campaign to tackle drink spiking

Friday, 30 October 2026 at 13:00

By Philip Keeler

Sussex Police on the street - Credit: Sussex Police 2026

Police have increased patrols at pubs, clubs and university campuses as part of a campaign to prevent drink spiking and improve safety in the night-time economy.

The nine-day operation, which ran from 21 to 29 September, saw officers working alongside licensed venues, universities and local organisations to raise awareness of spiking and help people recognise the warning signs.

The campaign coincided with Freshers' Week, allowing officers to engage with students and young people as they began the new academic year.

Officers visited several licensed premises, paying particular attention to seafront pubs and clubs, where staff were encouraged to remain vigilant and take additional steps to protect customers.

These included monitoring unattended drinks, reviewing safety measures in toilets and strengthening safeguarding procedures to help prevent incidents.

The Business Crime Reduction Partnership also supported the campaign, providing venues with targeted information, staff training opportunities and resources to improve customer safety.

Police held a series of pop-up events at university campuses, offering students advice on how to stay safe, recognise potential signs of spiking and report suspicious incidents.

Students were also given StopTopps, specially designed anti-spiking drink covers which can help reduce the risk of drinks being tampered with.

Additional officers were deployed to busy nightlife areas throughout the operation, providing a visible police presence and reassurance to people enjoying evenings out.

Police say partnership working between officers, businesses, universities and local organisations is an important part of tackling spiking and reducing opportunities for offenders.

Anyone who believes they may have been spiked is encouraged to seek medical assistance, alert venue staff and report the incident to police as soon as possible.

Officers also reminded people that spiking is a serious criminal offence and that incidents should be reported even if the victim is unsure exactly what happened.

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