Drug dealers and other criminals operating in Hucknall are being targeted with daily police raids as part of a hyper-local crackdown on organised crime.
Local officers have now initiated a three-step approach to drive offenders out of the Broomhill Road area, tackle related antisocial behaviour, and boost residents’ confidence in reporting to the police.
The Clear, Hold, Build initiative – replicated with great success by police forces across the country – first seeks to clear criminals and their associates from the area.
The area will then be held and stabilised through high-visibility police patrols, assistance from partner agencies, and community support.
With support from key stakeholders, residents will then be equipped and empowered to build a strong and resilient community, free from crime and exploitation.
Police forces across the country have been directed by the Home Office to launch a pilot Clear, Hold, Build project, and the results so far have been extremely positive – resulting in dramatic falls in crime and antisocial behaviour.
The Broomhill Road area has been chosen to address residents’ concerns about drug-related crime and antisocial behaviour, to disrupt cross-border criminal activity from Nottingham and Bulwell, and to bring additional resources to the area.
Speaking after the first raid at an address in Thorn Grove this morning (Monday) in which three people were arrested, Inspector Chris Boylin, district commander for Ashfield, said:
“Organised crime has a corrosive effect on our communities – enriching a few individuals at the expense of other residents and causing a great deal of harm to vulnerable people.
“People may think of organised crime and imagine the glamorous and showy depiction captured on TV, but the reality is very different and far more damaging than that.
“It is young or otherwise vulnerable people who are being exploited by cross-border criminal gangs to carry, sell, or store drugs; and it’s the acquisitive crime, antisocial behaviour, and violence that comes with this illegal trade.
“People may not be aware that these issues are linked to organised criminal gangs, but the reality is that they very often are.
“But the good news is that – thanks to the Clear, Hold, Build initiative – local residents are now in a much better position to strike back and remove this type of offending from their community.
“We’ve got a lot of activity planned for the next few weeks and I want local drug dealers and other criminals to know that they are very much in our sights.”
Over the initial Clear period of the scheme, additional police resources will be made available in the area to carry out warrants, patrol hot-spots, and engage with the community.
As part of the initiative, local officers have also been reaching out to the local schools and a youth centre to raise awareness with young people and give the scheme a visual identity. After running a competition for local children, officers chose the Happy Hucknall identity (Safeguarding Our Tomorrow Now) drawn up by attendees of the Hucknall Young People Centre.
Chief Inspector Christopher Sutcliffe, speaking after a formal community launch event on Thursday, added:
“Over the coming weeks and months residents will notice many more police in the Broomhill Road area as we carry out a wide range of enforcement activity and proactive patrols. I urge them speak to those officers in person or to call us in confidence to report their concerns to us.
“This is a great community full of hard-working people who really care about where they live. Unfortunately, it is also an area that is being targeted and exploited by organised criminals, with all the problems that brings.
“By working together, we really can make a difference against the small minority of people who cause such disproportionate damage to the community.”
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said:
“We are often the innovators here in Nottinghamshire, but this work is an example of using good practice in other areas to make Nottinghamshire a safer place for all.
“The work now being done here to crackdown on organised crime is all about providing members of the public with the trust and confidence they need when going about their everyday lives.
“In addition to this, the way in which the Clear, Hold, Build Initiative works will help drive team-work between communities and Nottinghamshire Police to root out organised criminals.”
Cllr John Wilmott, Executive Lead for Community Safety and Crime Reduction at Ashfield District Council, said:
“Ashfield District Council are working closely with Nottinghamshire Police and other local partners to make the district a safer place. We are pleased that the Clear, Hold, Build initiative is being delivered in Hucknall. We will work together to ensure the community has access to information, support and activities which will help to build a safer, stronger and cohesive community.
“This builds on the work already ongoing such as the Community Partnership in Broomhill and Butler’s Hill, and the events which are run throughout the year by local community groups such as OT Fundraisers, Ashfield Voluntary Action and local health partners.”
To report issues to the local policing team, residents can call 101, make a report online, visit the Ashfield Police Facebook page, email ashfieldNPT@notts.police.uk, or reach out in person to local officers.
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