More than 130 arrests made in successful community policing operation

We have made more than 130 arrests, seized more than £2,000-worth of drugs and caught more than 1,000 speeding drivers as part of a successful eight-week community policing operation.

The operation, which launched following the introduction of our new policing model at the end of June this year, saw local policing team officers focus on specific types of criminality highlighted to us though our 194 community engagement events held throughout September and October this year.

More than 1,000 from across Staffordshire attended these events which included walk-and-talk events, drop-in sessions with commanders, as well as online chats.

As a result of this work, we identified themes within these concerns including anti-social behaviour, drug-related criminality, vehicle crime and speeding.

Since then, we have upped our patrols in anti-social behaviour hot-spots; issuing dispersal orders in relevant areas, carried out proactive intelligence-led drug-related warrants and launched a specialist operation with partners to tackle vehicle crime, including theft of and from vehicles.

We have also run speeding and irresponsible driving-related work in key identified areas throughout the county.

Part of this activity saw us carry out 647 stop-and-searches, more than 30 warrants leading to 40 arrests as well as:

• Make a total of 135 arrests
• Seize drugs worth £2,085
• Seize £13,069 in cash
• Seize vehicles valued at £59,100
• Identify 1,056 speeding drivers
• Stop 38 uninsured drivers
• Drug and drink-drive test 54 people.
• We also disrupted the exploitation of a young person believed to been groomed into county lines drug activity, with two men arrested and more than £2,000 and a vehicle seized.

Chief Superintendent, Elliott Sharrard-Williams, who spearheaded the operation, said: “We are always proactive in our pursuit of offenders and this operation really gave us a chance to show people what we are continuing to do to make their communities safer.

“It also gave us the opportunity to hear more directly from local people out on the ground and this provided really useful intelligence for us to take action on.

“I’m pleased that the operation has led to some really positive results and we will continue to work with our communities to deliver the best outcomes for them.”

To find out more about policing in your area, visit: https://www.staffordshire.police.uk/area/your-area/

For crime reporting, see https://www.staffordshire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/soh/seen-or-heard/, Twitter, or call 101.

Call 999 in an emergency.