What is the Combating Drugs Partnership?
Today I would like to tell you about an organisation called the Combating Drugs Partnership (CDP), which is helping to directly tackle the issue of illegal drugs in Dorset. This partnership was created in 2022 in response to the national 10-year Harm to Hope drugs strategy. The Dorset and BCP CDP – which covers both council areas in our county - supports the implementation of that national strategy on a local level. The three main ambitions of that strategy are to:
- Break supply chains.
- Deliver a world class treatment and recovery system.
- Achieve a generational shift in the demand for drugs.
I am proud to lead this organisation locally as the senior responsible officer. Bringing together organisations including both local authorities in Dorset as well as Dorset Police and SW Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), local and regional prisons, probation services, Public Heath Dorset representing Dorset and BCP areas, NHS Dorset, Dorset Healthcare, drugs and alcohol treatment providers, people with lived experience and Dorset Combined Youth Justice Service is vital. Illegal drugs are not just a problem for one single organisation – but needs a whole-system approach to ensure enforcement, treatment and prevention are dealt with robustly and effectively. In Dorset, Operation Scorpion, a regional collaboration between five police forces, the respective PCCs, British Transport Police, SW Regional Organised Crime Unit and Crimestoppers seized more than £220,000 of illegal drugs last year, with officers arresting more than 70 people leading to the closure of several county lines and dozens of people safeguarded. In relation to prevention, funding from my Office for an education programme provided by Talkabout Trust for students in secondary schools has seen these sessions rolled out to schools across Dorset to really positive feedback.
Tackling drugs goes beyond just tough enforcement; two other vital components, treatment and prevention, are also crucial. That’s why the CDP exists – to ensure delivery of all these measures is taking place efficiently and appropriately. Within the CDP, there are three sub-groups, one focused on treatment, another on prevention and one for enforcement to ensure a determined focus on the areas which are integral to reducing the harm illegal drugs have on our society.
You can find out more about the work the Dorset and BCP CDP is doing here:
My message is that we must keep driving forward intently to deal with the impact illegal drugs have on individuals, our communities and society as a whole. I know the fear and concern these substances and those who deal them cause to the public, and through the CDP and within my role as PCC, I remain determined to tackle this through tough enforcement, effective treatment and powerful prevention for our young people. Currently, much more investment is needed into prevention as this vital aspect remains lacking compared to treatment and enforcement. I will continue to lobby and campaign for this to be a priority for those in power and vow to continue doing what we can in Dorset to ensure our young people are properly educated about the devastating impact these illegal substances can cause – not just physically and mentally but to their prospects for the future. You can help by reporting any concerns you may have about where you live to Dorset Police. This information may be the intelligence the police need to act. Together, in lockstep with our partners and you, the public, we can all ensure Dorset continues to be one of the safest places in the county.
David Sidwick
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner
How to report:
Speak to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year on 0800 555 111 or use their non-traceable form online.
You can also use the StreetSafe app, a service which allows you to report safety concerns in public places without giving your name, so it is also anonymous.
Or you can report information and intelligence to police online at www.dorset.police.uk/intelligence or call the Force on 101.