David Sidwick is the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset.
As a society, we in the UK know that the issue of illegal drugs is a significant problem, if not the most significant one. We have been hearing from our communities that they are fed-up with seeing drug dealing persistently in their towns and cities. We all can see the harm to individuals and communities. However, it is not enough to reduce complexity to simple solutions. To address this issue effectively, we need to deliver three things – tough enforcement, effective treatment, and impactful prevention.
We are proud to say that we are changing the paradigm in the South-West.
Uniquely and for the first time, the five Police and Crime Commissioners in the South-West decided to have a joint priority to create a hostile environment for drug dealers. Our message is clear; drug gangs and those intent on bringing illegal drugs to the South-West will be targeted and removed. We are united in our mission to drive drugs out of our communities.
To do this, we have asked our forces to create Operation Scorpion. This is where they focus resources on a particular issue and put in place a “Ring of Steel” and ensure assets are used to patrol transport routes to keep drugs out.
Partnership with British Transport Police, City of London Police, Crimestoppers and the South-West Regional Organised Crime Unit pays dividends. We have addressed particular issues such as County Lines, Drugs in the Night-Time Economy, Cannabis Farms, and in the most recent phase, by utilizing community intelligence, we have been able to take the fight to Street Dealing.
This is recognised as a unique approach and Operation Scorpion has been executed for two years. The result has been clear- over 3,200 disruptions (the highest for any region in the country), over 600 arrests, over 900 vulnerable people safeguarded, and over £1.5 million of drugs taken off the streets from this one operation alone.
Individually we have our own additional drug operations which also are making a difference. In Dorset, we have utilised some of the additional officers to create Neighbourhood Enforcement Teams. We created Operation Viper to tackle County Lines, and this has made over 200 arrests and closed 45 per cent of the County Lines in Dorset. Let’s be clear; our forces are ready to take away the drugs, take away the cash, and ultimately take away the liberty of those seeking to perpetrate harm in the South-West.
As part of the government’s 10-year drug strategy: From Harm To Hope (FH2H), each area has a Combatting Drug Partnership (CDP) – in many cases chaired by a Police and Crime Commissioner. This brings together all possible stakeholders driving forward to tackle the issue of illegal drugs. As part of FH2H, there has been more funding for treatment to increase the numbers of those treated and critically to improve the continuity of care for those leaving prison. There is also a potential game-changing new opioid substitute that breaks the cycle of addiction to allow the addressing of other lifestyle issues such as accommodation and employment. A focus on treatment and recovery rather than just harm reduction or worse facilitation will make a real difference – so long as this approach is consistently funded.
Prevention is the orphan at the feast receiving no funding. If we are going to cut generational demand for drugs, we need to invest in preventing their use. That needs money and a philosophical change. Prevention needs to address the issue of adverse childhood experiences building resilience, but it also needs to give young people the facts about the harm of illegal gateway drugs. Cannabis, possibly ketamine, MDMA, and nitrous oxide are all carriages on the addiction train. For years, there has been a trend to suggest that it’s ok, it’s just a bit of weed – that ignores the harm to the person. We need to highlight the risk of psychosis, cancer, and the birth defects from this genotoxin. And for young people, the fact it can age you significantly. Decriminalisation or worse legalisation is failing across the world, and there is a better way – if we get prevention right.
But expecting the police to perform this function is not enough – they don’t have the expertise to deliver a multi-channel age-specific program with different communication mechanisms. They deliver “Drugs and the law” through the Safer Schools Team, which will appeal to a certain demographic. In Dorset, we also have the Wasps Nest by Vita Nova – a dramatic arts presentation of County Lines by ex-drug users, Escapeline – a charity supporting schools, parents, and children on advice on drugs and how to escape County Lines, the amazing Janey Hamilton who goes to schools and talks about her son James who died due to his cannabis addiction, and also a recently commissioned group work project for 11-16-year-olds from The TalkAboutTrust, which has modules on vapes, alcohol, cannabis, and County Lines. We are collating across the SW what works and where the gaps are.
Drug policy has created a dependency culture, focusing on harm reduction not abstinence, and policing shied away from enforcement, but more people are dying in treatment than ever before. So, what is offered is not working well enough. swung from – hug everybody and do anything you want – to – we need to lock everyone up. Neither have worked – but crucially FH2H can – in the SW we are clear-eyed about our mission to make the SW hostile to drugs whilst being compassionate to those addicted and driving with prevention to make a long-term difference.
Being robust and tough on drugs comes with costs – the cannabis lobby have tried to get us all fired. I have had a death threat (old school words cut out of a magazine) sufficiently serious to restrict my activities and my wife has been cyber stalked. The slightest hint of robustness and you are accused of being out of touch.
Well, these dinosaurs have found a new way – one that our communities applaud. We will not apologise for being tough on drugs – watch us craft a new future for the safety of all our residents – that is what five Conservative Police and Crime Commissioners will do.
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Author: David Sidwick
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