Op Viper strikes in Dorset
Operation Viper strikes at the heart of county lines drug gangs.
Dorset now has its own dedicated and proactive Operation Viper which will target criminality, take drugs off our streets, share intelligence, and protect the vulnerable.
Op Viper was launched yesterday with the execution of two drugs warrants, which resulted in the seizure of drugs and cash and four people being arrested for possession with intent to supply and I am pleased to say, that I was standing alongside the Chief Constable to watch the Operation in action.
Both I and the Chief Constable are to investing heavily in the areas that the people of Dorset have told us are important to them, our communities have told us they want to see enforcement and want to feel safe and county lines is an example of where drug dealing overlaps with exploitation of children and the vulnerable in Dorset.
There is a new team behind Op Viper, the Neighbourhood Enforcement Team, and they will work closely with existing Neighbourhood Policing Teams to provide visibility, proactive enforcement, and community engagement.
I am delighted to see the priorities of my Police and Crime Plan ‘in action’ in the shape of the new team and I applaud the quick successes that they have already had – the statistics speak for themselves – an estimated £100,000 of illegal drugs seized, vehicles seized, 29 arrests made, 10 children protected – and all in the last six weeks!
This is exactly the type of action that I and the residents of Dorset want to see from our police force.
Indeed, a couple of weeks ago we saw East Bournemouth Neighbourhood Policing Team ‘in action’ enforcing Op Relentless and work alongside BCP Council partners to tackle ASB in our county.
Once again, the results were impressive - an address in Springbourne was visited by police following reports of drug related ASB and residents were warned that a full Closure Order on the property could be issued if behaviour did not stop. Two quad bikes were seized after they were seen being driven on the pavement and road in Lowther Gardens and large quantities of illegal cigarettes and e-cigarettes were also seized.
Tackling an issue like ASB cannot be done in isolation and so to see partners working together to improve the lives of residents is great and I look forward to seeing more ASB targeted enforcement action across the county over the coming weeks and months.
When I was a candidate for the role of Police and Crime Commissioner, I asked the people of Dorset what was important to them and now those priorities are the ‘golden thread’ that runs through my Police and Crime Plan, into the Chief Constables Policing Vision and directly into how our towns, villages, parishes and hamlets are policed.
I want a safe county for all of our communities and a key part of that is making Dorset a hostile place for criminals and relentlessly pursuing criminality and I will be working hard to ensure that the Chief Constable continues to have the resources at his disposal and to continue to make Dorset a safer place to be.