Safer streets through safer roads – MIL Security Intel Ngin

Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

Op Topaz partnership tackling criminality on the roads

A new partnership between policing and government is already reaping results through roads policing activity as part of Safer Streets Summer.

Known as Op Topaz, the partnership between the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the Department for Transport (DfT), supported by the Home Office, explores greater collaboration for roads policing to tackle crime which affects communities both on and off the road network.

Twelve police forces across the country have received additional government funding via the NPCC Roads Policing portfolio, to coordinate activity under Op Topaz and enhance the capabilities of roads policing teams on dealing with criminality, alongside road safety offences.

Force operations have so far seen success in a range of different crime types including; arrests for sexual offences, safeguarding vulnerable victims, stopping and seizing e-bikes and e-scooters being used illegally and supporting a safe night time economy through taxi checks.

Chief Constable Jo Shiner is National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing. She said:

“This new partnership recognises that driving offences can often indicate involvement in other forms of criminality, as well as being linked to causing death or serious injury on our roads. Not all road users are criminals but there is a high chance that all criminals will use the roads in some way and through roads policing capability across the country, we have a valuable opportunity to put a stop to this criminality.

“We have already seen this demonstrated through the operations taking place with roads policing teams working hand-in-hand with their neighbourhood policing counterparts to remove harm and improve community safety.

“Forces have used roads policing resources to track down and arrest violent and prolific sexual offenders, to tackle drug supply routes and to disrupt organised crime groups. Much of this is ‘business as usual’ activity but with the additional boost from Op Topaz, the teams are able to dedicate more time and resource to delivering enhanced results.

“We are focussed on improving community safety and one of the ways this can be achieved is through safer roads.”

Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood said:

“Every day, criminals use our roads to commit and conceal crime — and every day, police are using those same roads to stop them. Through Op Topaz, we’re backing police with the support they need to take dangerous individuals off our streets and keep communities safe.

“Our partnership with the police is already delivering results, tackling crime and protecting communities – all part of our Plan for Change.”