Could you be the final piece of the puzzle?
I am calling on residents in Dorset to join us in our fight against drug crime by reporting the small things which could make the biggest difference to where you live. Have you seen odd or out of character behaviour on your street? Perhaps you’ve witnessed a drug deal but haven’t reported it because you don’t think it’s important. Perhaps you don’t think anything will be done? I am urging you to report your concerns, no matter how insignificant you think they might be. It could provide the missing piece of the puzzle officers need to act.
I’m asking for this information in the week we have launched a campaign asking you to tell us ‘where the deal is’. You may have already spotted this campaign on the backs of buses across Dorset or on social media, as we make clear our county is #NoPlaceForDrugs. Your local Neighbourhood Policing Teams will also be encouraging you to share your information with them. For more than two years, Dorset has been at the forefront of a county line-busting initiative, tackling the drug dealers bringing illegal substances into our communities. Along with neighbouring police forces in Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and the respective offices of Police and Crime Commissioners, British Transport Police, South West Regional Organised Crime Unit and the independent charity Crimestoppers, this initiative - Op Scorpion - has aimed to make the south west region a hostile environment for drugs by combining our resources to tackle drugs supply and county lines. Since the launch in 2021, there have been six phases of Op Scorpion. During the previous regional crackdown last year in Dorset 26 drug-related arrests were made, more than £93,000 worth of illegal drugs seized and the profits and paraphernalia of drug dealing including cash and weapons taken off the streets, along with 17 mobile phones. Op Scorpion puts a ring of steel around the south west thanks to the joint working of all our partners.
Dorset Police also have Op Viper, the Force’s own dedicated and proactive initiative targeting criminality, taking drugs off the streets, sharing intelligence, and protecting the vulnerable. This team uses intelligence and enforcement to disrupt county lines in order to make Dorset a hostile place for those dealing illegal drugs and bringing misery to communities. The Force has a specific County Lines Task Force, which is supported by Neighbourhood Enforcement Teams (NETs) to disrupt and deter incoming drug networks. Together, Op Scorpion and Op Viper are working to robustly tackle drug crime across our county.
All these results in Dorset wouldn’t have been possible without the public, and the vital information provided by you to build that crucial intelligence picture. It is only because of this information, along with the work of the Force, that county lines could be disrupted, and vulnerable people safeguarded. It’s why I am urging the people of Dorset to continue to report the unusual or suspicious activity they see where they live and work. We need your eyes, ears, and expert knowledge to drive these illegal drugs and criminals out of our county.
If you’re worried about reporting something, you don’t have to give the police your details or even contact them directly. There are a number of different ways to make a report, as is detailed in our new bus adverts. If you have information about suspected drug dealing in your community, you can speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year on 0800 555 111 or use their non-traceable form online. You will remain 100% anonymous, always. You can also use the StreetSafe app, a service that allows you to report safety concerns in public places without giving your name, so it is also anonymous. Or should you be happy to speak to police, you can report information and intelligence online at www.dorset.police.uk/intelligence or call the Force on 101.
I want to be clear, what you see could be a bigger deal than you think. And by reporting it, you’ll be helping to keep you, your family, and your community safe. I know how damaging the effects of drugs can be. Shoplifting, anti-social behaviour, and vehicle crime are among just some of the offences often linked to drug crime, and I want it to stop. It’s why I made tackling this problem a key part of my Police and Crime Plan. I want you to feel safe where you live and work. But the police need your help to go further than ever; they can’t do this alone. Tell them where the deal is, and the police will deal with it. I want to send a direct message to the criminals dealing in Dorset; Dorset Police will find you, they will follow you and they won’t stop until they’ve got you.
David Sidwick
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner