I am extremely disappointed some people have chosen to criticise me for the decision to invite Nick Ross to help launch the Brighton and Hove Anti-Victimisation Initiative (AVI) on Wednesday night.

As a nationally-respected broadcaster on crime issues, Nick was paid a fair and reasonable sum to give this major launch a real impetus. About 500 people felt this was an important enough issue to spend nearly three hours learning more about this initiative at Hove Town Hall.

I and my colleagues (both inside the police and from other agencies) deal daily with domestic violence and homophobic and racist crime. I regard drawing attention to these abhorrent offences and the fact that there is now a new team to deal with these crimes in our city as an entirely legitimate and proper use of public money.

That victims of such crimes can now call upon the police and other support via our direct-dial contact number (01273 665 800) is the real story. I would urge my critics not to trivialise what, for some people, is literally a life-or-death issue.

-Andy Bliss, Superintendent, Divisional Commander, Brighton