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For those of you who are interested in the subject, this is the report of the Independent Drugs Commission for Brighton and Hove, which I chair.
http://peterjames.com/uploads/DRUG%20COMMISSION%20FINAL%20REPORT.pdf
I'd be interested in your comments.
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On Sunday I appeared on The Albion Roar radio show, you can listen to the show online at www.albionroar.co.uk, (but hurry as this will only be on there until Sunday). Alternatively there are variety of platforms by which you can listen in, including Android and Double Twist, and you can go to the iTunes Store and search for 'Albion Roar' or the link is: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/albion-roar/id340568475
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I'm holding a contest for a chance to join me at FanFest July 12 in New York City! FanFest is a new invitation-only event that is part of the annual ThrillerFest event. I have three tickets to give away to loyal fans. Here's what you'll receive if you win: admission to the event, two drink tickets, a FanFest goodie bag and a chance to spend the evening with your favorite authors (including me, of course). You don't have to be registered for ThrillerFest to win, and winning does not get you into the full ThrillerFest conference, but you should be planning to be in New York City on Friday, July 12. Just follow these INSTRUCTIONS to enter:
Create a character for yourself in a Roy Grace novel in 100 words or less and email it to authorpeterjames@gmail.com. If you were in a Roy Grace novel who would you be and what part would you play? I will pick the best three answers and award the FanFest tickets, and you may see yourself in my next novel. You must email your entries to authorpeterjames@gmail.com by May 1, 2013. I'll announce the winner on my Facebook page shortly thereafter. Best of luck!
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I’m being arrested on Tuesday morning, along with the Chief Constable of Sussex, Martin Richards and the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne. We are going to be held in the cells of Sussex’s Old Police Cells Museum, with only bread and water to eat and drink, until our bail money is raised.
The others who will also be arrested alongside us, are the High Sherriffs of both East and West Sussex, Brighton’s Deputy Mayor, the Borough Commander of the East Sussex Fire Brigade, and a number of other luminaries – you can see the press release below. But don’t worry about all the rest, GET ME OUT, PLEASE!!! I need to get on with my next Roy Grace novel – and no laptops allowed in my cell.
This is how you do it: Send a donation to, PLEASE!! to:
http://www.justgiving.com/theoldpolicecellsmuseum/
It is all good natured and the cause of supporting Sussex Crimestoppers, of which I am co-patron with Dame Vera Lynn, and the wonderful Old Police Cells Museum in Brighton, of which I am vice-president.
Here is the full wording of the release:
Top Sussex folk to get jailed for charity – but they need your help to #getbailed!
Some of Sussex’s best loved luminaries are to be incarcerated in the name of charity - and they need your help if they are to be released.
High Sheriffs of East and West Sussex both current and past, a former naval officer and magistrate in Brighton and president of the local St John Ambulance are among those participating in a charity event next week to support Sussex Crimestoppers and Sussex’s Old Police Cells Museum, based in Brighton.
Participating in Jail and Bail, which will see participants being locked up in the Museum in the bowels of Brighton Town Hall on Tuesday March 19 include:
They will all find themselves behind bars in the bowels of the Museum at Brighton Town Hall on Tuesday March 19 and will be joined by Sussex Chief Constable Martin Richards, Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service’s Borough Commander for Brighton Mark Matthews and award winning crime novelist Dr Peter James. Brighton’s Deputy Mayor Cllr Anne Meadows completes the line-up of charitable internees.
They will all be raising money for the Museum and Sussex Crimestoppers, the only charity that is dedicated to helping the police by providing a gateway for the public to provide anonymous information about crime.
People across Sussex are being asked to donate whatever they can spare and for every £500 raised, a single internee will be bailed with their liberty restored. Martin Richards and Peter James will be the first in – and the last out! Whilst incarcerated, the jailbirds will receive only bread and water whilst in the cells in the bowels of Brighton Town Hall.
Donations can made in a variety of ways:
You can keep up to date with our fundraising attempts via twitter by searching on #getbailed (https://twitter.com/search?q=getbailed&src=typd)
For more information about Jail and Bail or to offer yourself as a jailbird email info@oldpolicecellsmuseum.org.uk
Since Crimestoppers began in 1988 and has received over a million actionable calls, resulting in over 120,000 arrests and charges. Over £125 million worth of goods has been recovered and over £293 million worth of drugs has been seized. Here in Sussex, the number of actionable calls has risen to more than 2,000 per year and relate to many different crime types including murder, drug dealing and cultivation, drink driving, domestic violence, sexual offences, burglary, arson and terrorism related offences. Whatever the crime type, Sussex Crimestoppers receives anonymous calls from the public who appreciate that the charity can make a difference.
The Old Police Cells Museum was the brainchild of late Brighton councillor John Drake. His wife, Pat, adopted it as her mayoral project and was opened in May 2005 in the bowels of Brighton Town Hall. It offers visitors a unique insight into the history of policing in Sussex and is both educational and entertaining. It provides an opportunity to visit Brighton Borough main police station for the period 1830 to 1967 and learn about the murder of Chief Constable Henry Solomon in 1844 by a prisoner. See some of the old cells with their graffiti from the Mods and Rockers era, the policeman’s wash room and uniform store areas, police memorabilia and artefacts.
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A sneak peek of one of the stories in the Short Shockers Collection! Please note, this video requires sound.
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All your comments, if you have any views, would be of interest.
Just over a year ago I was approached by Brighton MP Caroline Lucas and Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett, Commander of Brighton and Hove Police to see if I would be willing to chair a new Commission, set up by the Safe in the City Partnership, to examine the drugs problem which as for so long blighted Brighton, just as it does every city in the western world and beyond. Brighton, in particular, has for many years been tagged with the unwelcome, and tragic soubriquet of "Injecting Drug Death Capital of the UK" My deputy chair is the very impressive Mike Trace, who was Tony Blair's "drugs czar".
Our brief was to see if we could identify the key issues, and perhaps find new solutions or at least improvements.
The Commission has now published draft recommendations and is inviting local residents to comment.
MP Caroline Lucas has invited speakers from the Commission to a public meeting (details below) as an opportunity for local residents to hear more and have their say.
All welcome!
Independent Drugs Commission for Brighton & Hove: Public Meeting
City College Main Hall, Pelham Street
6 – 7.30pm
Wednesday 27 February
For the draft report and recommendations see http://bit.ly/XskKNB
Feedback is requested by 1 March and can be submitted at http://bit.ly/XiMtin
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Got invited to a lunch in Sydney by an old friend here. "Just a bunch of mates who appreciate decent wine" he said.
Yep, he wasn't lying!!! This is what 7 of us managed to get through in a great restaurant called Le Grande Bouffe - and we still were able to walk out of the restaurant unaided! Well, my memory tells me we did.....
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