Well in evidence patrolling the High Street and the International Jazz Festival venues across town during the weekend, Marlborough’s neighbourhood police team were intent in adding to the success of Operation Banning.
This was launched a year ago with drugs directly in the frame and the specific intent of reducing anti-social behaviour and criminal damage incidents, all helping to keep Marlborough as one of the safest towns in the county.
“Operation Banning has proved to be a resounding success we have targeted both users and dealers of controlled drugs using both street and court disposals,” Acting Police Sergeant David Tippetts told Marlborough News Online. “More pleasingly we have seen a reduction in associated crime.
“A significant amount of the intelligence we have used throughout this Operation has been received from the local community and without this our job would have proved much harder.
“We will continue with this operation and maintain our zero tolerance approach towards the use and supply of controlled drugs “
Town Clerk Shelley Parker said: “The Town Council has been kept regularly updated about Operation Banning and our councillors have been impressed by its success.
“The involvement of the community has helped our own neighbourhood policing team to target drugs abuse that then may move onto various forms of anti-social behaviour. This is clearly a good project which has helped to keep the town’s crime rate low.”
Extra emphasis in Operation Banning has been aimed at drug dealers – suspected of operation in local school areas to be dealing to school children – using stop and search powers, search warrants and the deployment of drug-sniffing police dogs handlers.
This has been backed up by using intelligence reports received from parents and members of the community together with teachers and youth workers.
Dr Patrick Hazlewood, principal of St John’s Academy, pointed out: “We believe in a strong partnership with the police and Operation Banning is an excellent example of where close collaboration achieved results.
“It is also an important visible example to our school communities that wrong – doing will not be tolerated!”
To date more than 70 offences have been recorded, ranging from simple possession of cannabis to possession of class A drugs with intent to supply. More than 20 misuse of drugs act warrants have been executed as a result of effective local intelligence reports.
Another aspect of this Operation has been the launch of a Youth Crime Initiative. This has resulted in young people, who have been found in possession of drugs paraphernalia such as a cannabis grinders but no controlled drugs, being made to attend workshops with youth and drugs workers at Marlborough police station.
Workshops have also been run for alcohol awareness and anti-social behaviour, only one of the teenagers taking part being involved in a later offence.
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Wiltshire leads the country in reduction of crime annual statistics reveal Wiltshire’s crime rate continues to decline, according to the latest report issued by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which revealed that in Wiltshire it is down by 2.3 per cent, the equivalent of some 757 fewer victims of crime. That figure is one per cent greater than the national average of 1.3 per cent, putting Wiltshire at the head of the national crime picture for the period April, 2013 to March, 2014 in comparison with the same period the year before. “I am pleased with the crime statistics and in particular the decreases in burglary, robbery and vehicle crime,” Pat Geenty, Wiltshire’s Chief Constable, told Marlborough News Online. “These are all victim based crimes that communities care about and I feel it is vital not only that Wiltshire police deliver a professional service but that we provide reassurance through the crime statistics that we are continuing to tackle these crimes. “There has been a renewed focus on the quality of crime recording nationally and in accordance with this we have continued to review and quality assure our crime reporting standards. “This has in some areas led to a rise in reported crime, such as violence against the person. However, I will be keeping a close eye on these areas to ensure that we continue to be successful in tackling night time economy and serious crime across the county.” And he added: “I continue to tell my officers and staff that I do not want a target driven force. Our focus is on delivering an effective service, where the public can feel confident in Wiltshire Police’s integrity and the treatment they receive.” |
