Nottinghamshire Police chief hails Mansfield and Ashfield crime-cracking operation

An ambitious project to cut crime and engage with communities which was launched across Nottinghamshire six months ago is already reaping huge rewards, say police chiefs.
By Tim Cunningham
Published 1st Apr 2021, 11:23 BST
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The introduction of Operation Reacher teams in all 12 policing neighbourhoods has seen more than 1,000 arrests, nearly 300 illegal cars seized, more than 400 drugs seizures and hundreds of engagement events.

Nearly £250,000 in cash has been confiscated from criminal enterprises with the force rocking the foundations of organised crime, sending the clear message – ‘we know who you are and are coming for you’.

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Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “The expansion of Operation Reacher has been an incredible success story for Nottinghamshire Police and the public we serve.

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Since October, when Operation Reacher was launched, there have been more than 1,000 arrests, nearly 300 illegal cars seized, more than 400 drugs seizures and hundreds of engagement events.Since October, when Operation Reacher was launched, there have been more than 1,000 arrests, nearly 300 illegal cars seized, more than 400 drugs seizures and hundreds of engagement events.
Since October, when Operation Reacher was launched, there have been more than 1,000 arrests, nearly 300 illegal cars seized, more than 400 drugs seizures and hundreds of engagement events.

“We’ve seen hundreds of warrants executed across the county with some remarkable results thanks to a variety of factors.

“Operation Reacher balances proactive evidence led police work with strong community engagement events and programmes in order to disrupt and dismantle criminal operations in the area.

“The teams have been conducting excellent work across the county since the roll out in October 2019 and I have been immensely impressed with the way the teams have been incorporated into the neighbourhoods.

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“Hitting the ground running was always going to be vital in order for this programme to succeed and I am looking forward to seeing how we can kick on from this excellent start.”

Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “The expansion of Operation Reacher has been an incredible success story for Nottinghamshire Police and the public we serve."Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “The expansion of Operation Reacher has been an incredible success story for Nottinghamshire Police and the public we serve."
Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “The expansion of Operation Reacher has been an incredible success story for Nottinghamshire Police and the public we serve."

In October 2020, the teams launched across all 12 neighbourhoods in the city and county.

Warrants were executed at multiple addresses across the county, with the city centre Reacher team boarding a boat in a bid to find drugs.

Since that time, there has been no small number of police activities with more than 200 weapons recovered from the streets of Nottinghamshire.

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In March this year, an operation spearheaded by Nottinghamshire Police's proactive City North Operation Reacher Team resulted in the arrests of two men on suspicion of drugs and firearm offences and seizures of a suspected improvised firearm, ammunition, a quantity of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

However, it’s not all been arrests and warrants. Each team has spent time on proactive patrols in their local area getting to know residents and responding to their concerns.

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