Plain-clothes police officers tackling Sutton drug use
Plain-clothes police officers will be spending more time disrupting the flow of drugs in Ashfield this summer.
That is the message from officers after two individuals were stopped, searched and found to be in possession of cannabis.
Neighbourhood officers are joining forces with council Community Protection Officers to carry out a series of plain-clothes patrols across the district.
During the first such patrol in Sutton on Monday 20 April, two people were found in possession of cannabis in and around Sutton Lawn – a 41-year-old man and a teenage boy.
The man was dealt with by way of a community resolution, while the boy was referred to a youth justice panel.
A further 35-year-old man was stopped during the patrol and found to be breaching a civil injunction. The matter was subsequently referred to his housing provider for further action.
Inspector Keith Croft, district commander for Ashfield, said: “Tackling drug-related crime is a key local priority for us. That’s because illegal drugs are the root cause of so many of the problems our residents care so deeply about – from antisocial behaviour to serious acts of violence.
“By patrolling in plain clothes, our officers can get closer to the people involved, observe activity without being noticed, and gather crucial intelligence about the local drugs market.
“In addition to taking drugs off the streets on Monday, we were also able to intervene directly with a young man who is clearly making some very poor decisions and whose actions have the potential to negatively affect the rest of his life.”