Detective to share Brighton's drug strategy successes

A Brighton detective has been invited to address a national conference on tackling drugs.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Pollard, who is based in John Street, Brighton, will explain why he believes the methods adopted by Sussex Police are proving to be a success.

At the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Drugs Conference, which starts on Monday, he will share details of Operation Reduction.

The long-running operation is credited with bringing about a big drop in crime in Brighton and Hove.

It involves police working with other local organisations to target drug users and their dealers.

In a press release issued by Sussex Police, DCI Pollard said: “Since the beginning of Operation Reduction there has been a consistent drop in crime throughout the city.”

He said that this had led to an increase in public reassurance and had reduced the fear of crime.

He is due to tell the conference about the offending history of drug users since the start of Operation Reduction in November 2005.

In the past four years the total number of convictions credited to the operation has reached 14,100. It includes

• 1,195 for burglary
• 1,088 for violence
• 684 for vehicle crime
• 1,066 for “quality of life” offences, such as criminal damage and being drunk and disorderly
• 906 for drug offences and
• 2851 for shoplifting offences.

He said in the press release: “This is an excellent example of what can be achieved when the police and other agencies work together to tackle issues that affect all aspects of our community.”

An independent report into Operation Reduction was produced last year by research company Evidence Led Solutions.

It suggested that the operation had contributed to a significant fall in offending across Brighton and Hove. In particular, the report credited it for a fall in acquisitive offences, such as burglary and vehicle crime, associated with funding a drugs habit.

Officers have been targeting individuals and working with other organisations to reduce the need to fund a drug habit.

The other organisations include the Brighton and Hove’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, Drug and Alcohol Action Team and Crime Reduction Initiatives.

The operation has used Home Office cash to increase the number of drug users in treatment, the level of drug seizures and the number of individuals charged with supplying drugs.

Sussex Police believes that Operation Reduction can be credited with a fall of about 18 per cent in offences such as burglary, robbery, theft and vehicle crime. Officers also believe that it has proved cost-effective too.

The theme of this year’s ACPO conference, which runs from Monday 16 to Wednesday 18 November, is Dealing with Demand from Local to Global.