PC Tom Van Der Wee Ditches Personal X Account Following Sussex Police Social Media Shake-Up
PC Tom Van Der Wee, famously known for arresting celebrity Katie Price over her 2021 drink-driving bust, is shutting down his personal X (formerly Twitter) account. The move comes after Sussex Police decided to streamline their social media presence, consolidating all updates under their official channel.
From Celebrity Case to Social Media Star
Van Der Wee gained national attention after the high-profile Katie Price drink-driving arrest near her Sussex home in 2021. Since then, he built a solid fanbase on X under @PCTomVanDerWee, using the platform to promote road safety, share frontline policing insights, and engage directly with the public.
“Following a Force decision to consolidate our X accounts to just @sussex_police, my account will be closing,” Van Der Wee revealed. “Thank you to everyone for your support over the years.”
Sussex Police Tightens Social Media Control
Sussex Police’s latest policy means all officers must funnel their public communications through the force’s official account, @sussex_police. This shift aims to cut misinformation, present a united front, and simplify message delivery around crime prevention and community updates.
Van Der Wee will remain active on LinkedIn and continue supporting Sussex Police’s main communication channels, ensuring his frontline voice is still heard—just under the official banner now.
What This Means For Police Social Media
- Personal officer accounts like Van Der Wee’s are being retired.
- Official police channels become the sole source of public updates.
- The change improves message consistency and public trust.
- Officers will stay engaged but in a more tightly controlled digital space.
This marks a clear move across UK police forces to modernise and centralise social media strategies. Fans of PC Van Der Wee will no longer find him on X under his own name but can still follow key updates via @sussex_police.
