In policing, no two days – or nights – are the same.

Anybody who watches Night Coppers on Channel 4 will have seen first-hand the sheer variety of incidents police officers respond to over the course of a shift.

One of our motivations for taking part in the series – which follows response officers as they police Brighton and Hove at night – was to show the breadth of support we provide to keep the public safe and protect the wider community.

The night-time economy in Brighton is fantastic, bringing fun, enjoyment and excitement.

It can, however, also attract people who wish to do harm or take advantage of someone when they are most vulnerable following a night out.

Unfortunately, all too often it is women and girls who are their targets.

Everybody has the right to enjoy a night out in safety which is why policing the night-time economy is a critical aspect of what we do.

Tuesday’s episode showed officers responding to a report of a man having touched a woman’s bottom without her consent at a bar in West Street.

Officers spoke to the young woman and she was taken to a private place by a female officer to provide a statement while officers at the scene spoke to witnesses and bar staff before quickly arresting the suspect.

Sadly, this kind of behaviour is something with which many women are familiar, and I would like to make one thing very clear: touching somebody inappropriately is sexual assault.

It will not be tolerated, and it will be dealt with extremely seriously.

As well as the patrols around the night-time economy shown in Night Coppers, we work closely with venues to raise awareness around safeguarding and regularly hold briefings with security staff.

We conduct unannounced licensing checks throughout the night, help operate a safe space in West Street, work with street pastors and beach patrol to protect vulnerable people and employ taxi marshals to make sure that, together, we can get you home safely.

All members of the emergency services encounter people in times of crisis.

They witness, and are victims of, violence, death and grief – heart-breaking experiences that most people will never have to see in their lives.

On Tuesday, PCs Matt and Emily shared their experiences of being called to suicides, seeing their first dead body and the personal impact on them, particularly their mental health.

Matt and Emily are not alone in this – shifts may end, but memories follow people home.

Wellbeing is a priority for Sussex Police and we ensure that all of our officers and staff who experience trauma have all the support and time they need to process and recuperate.

Policing isn’t for everybody, but those drawn to service will find it an extremely rewarding job with many opportunities to progress or specialise in different areas of policing.

I have been a police officer for almost 25 years.

Born in Brighton, I began my career as a young PC in Brighton and Hove and have worked my way to Chief Superintendent, in command of policing in my home city.

It has been a fulfilling, varied and challenging career and taken me to places I never thought I would go.

Right now I’m writing this while supporting the Birmingham Commonwealth Games as a specialist strategic firearms commander.

I love what I do and would encourage anybody with an interest in policing to follow in my footsteps.

We are currently recruiting for police officers and those who are successful will be given a huge amount of support and opportunities for personal development. You may join as an officer, but from there the avenues available to you are boundless.

To find out more information for yourself or friends and family, please visit our careers page on the Sussex Police website.

Chief Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw

Divisional Commander for Brighton and Hove