Category: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

NPCC response following announcement on neighbourhood policing.

Chief Constable Rachel Bacon, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for the Local Policing Coordination Committee said: “We welcome the government’s investment into neighbourhood policing. Neighbourhood policing and officers on the street are crucial so that we can connect with the communities we serve. It is a vital part of how we prevent crime and has suffered during prolonged periods of austerity.

“Visibility and engagement with local communities has always been central to the British policing model and police leaders are in agreement that it must always remain at the heart of what we do.

“Forces continue to develop plans to tackle crime in their local neighbourhoods, which will vary depending on various factors such as population, urban or rural and the needs of the local community. Chiefs across England and Wales will take these factors into account, work with partner agencies to ensure communities receive the level of service they expect from policing.

“In every town, village and city across the UK, people want to feel safe where they live, work and raise their families. Safe from anti-social behaviour, safe from shoplifting, and safe from personal robbery. Neighbourhood policing is at the heart of that helping tackle that.

“We welcome the continued investment in hotspot policing and visible targeted patrols, which are the bedrock of community policing, and effective deterrents in detecting and preventing anti-social behaviour and serious violent crime, as well as improving feelings of safety.

“People have a right to live their lives free from intimidation and harassment in their own communities. We know anti-social behaviour has the power to wreck people’s lives and therefore it is important to have a multi-agency approach to tackling anti-social behaviour.

“Effective investment in neighbourhood policing and the whole system means investment in stronger communities and safer streets.”

National gun amnesty took place in February across England and Wales.

Police forces across England and Wales have seen 2,962 Turkish manufactured guns handed in as part of a national amnesty which took place in February.

The top-venting blank firing (TVBF) guns have become popular with organised criminals in recent years due to the ease at which they are readily convertible into lethal firearms. Tests by the National Crime Agency and policing, funded by the Home Office, show models produced by four Turkish manufacturers are readily convertible and therefore illegal. TVBFs are legal to buy in the UK without a licence by over 18s unless they are readily convertible.

Police forces across England and Wales held a four-week Firearms Amnesty for Turkish manufactured TVBFs namely models with the brand names ‘Retay’, ‘Ekol’, ‘Ceonic’ and ‘Blow’, in February.

Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for the Criminal Use of Firearms, said: “This is a considerable step in making our streets safer and stopping these weapons from being used by criminals.

“I would like to thank the public for their support during the amnesty and handing in these weapons which are now illegal to possess.

“If you have any information about illegal firearms, such as the Turkish manufactured TVBF, I would ask you contact the police or Crimestoppers so that they can be taken off the streets.”

The amnesty which took place between 3 February and 28 February 2025 saw 2,962 Turkish manufactured top-venting firers and was aimed at anyone in possession of a TVBF to hand their weapon in to avoid prosecution and up to 10 years imprisonment.

In their original state TVBFs have a fully blocked barrel and are designed to discharge only blank cartridges. When discharged, combustion gases vent from the top of the weapon. TVBFs are sold with at least 50 per cent of their visible surface painted a bright colour however, criminals may paint them black so they look like an original lethal purpose (OLP) weapon as well as convert them to a lethal purpose firearm.

Since 2021, UK law enforcement has recovered more than 1,000 converted TVBFs in criminal circumstances. Firearms legislation has not changed; the weapons are illegal to own under the Firearms Act 1968 as they can be readily converted using common household tools and without specialist skill on the part of the person carrying out the conversion. Testing completed by the NCA has demonstrated this.

Charles Yates, National Crime Agency deputy director, said: “The amnesty results are excellent with very large numbers of surrenders of these easily converted firearms.

“This work is a superb example of the public and the firearms trade coming together to help reduce the risk of the criminal use of these weapons.

“Though firearms crime in the UK is relatively low compared with elsewhere in Europe and is among the lowest in the world, the NCA, policing and Border Force will continue to do everything possible to suppress the firearms threat and to protect the UK public.”

Other unwanted, unlicensed firearms and ammunition may be surrendered to police at any time which will avoid the risk of them becoming involved in criminality and means that members of the community can dispose of firearms in a safe place.

Anyone now found in possession of a Turkish manufactured TVBF will face prosecution for the illegal possession and face up to 10 years imprisonment.

If you know of people involved in illegal firearms activity should call the Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Every call to Crimestoppers is anonymous and potentially vital to preventing or solving serious crimes; removing an illegally held firearm may just save someone’s life.

Double number of drivers arrested than previous years

• 8,648 arrests made for drink and drug driving offences 

• Positive results for drink driving remain below 10% 

• Breath tests following a collision show nearly 15% motorists testing positive for alcohol, at its highest since 2019 
• Drug wipes result in positive test results of over 42% 

Police officers proactively undertook 58,675 roadside tests for drink and/or drugs on drivers across the UK over the festive period in 2024 (1 Dec 2024 – 1 Jan 2025) as part of the nationally coordinated Operation Limit crackdown which sees 45 police forces across England, Wales and Northern Ireland working together.  

Intelligence and hotspot-led, roadside breath tests for alcohol saw nearly 10% of drivers testing positive (9.7%) with drug wipes resulting in 42.2% positive tests.  

Shockingly, 2,782 drivers were arrested for both drink and drug driving offences, almost double the number from previous years’ national operations. While many tests during Op Limit are proactive stops, tests following a collision showed 14.5% motorists testing positive for alcohol, the highest in these circumstances since 2019. Unfortunately this trend aligns with data from the Department for Transport (DfT) which also shows a rise in alcohol-related collisions.  

The figures prompt warnings from senior officers about the risks of driving under the influence, a ‘selfish and reckless’ decision that costs too many lives each year.  

Men continue to be disproportionately represented, making up 85% of the offences for driving under the influence of drink or drugs and 79% of offenders were 25 years of age or older.  

Chief Superintendent Marc Clothier is National Police Chiefs’ Council Operational Lead for Operation Limit. He said: 

“In 2023, 19.6% of fatal collisions were assigned at least one drink or drugs related factor. That’s pretty much 20% of road deaths caused by drink or drugs, with a significant number occurring in December – two facts which are completely unacceptable and which make Op Limit so important.  

“Now in its third year of running as a national operation, the Christmas drink and drug driving crackdown brings together all police forces in a positive coordinated effort to tackle this driving behaviour. 

“The statistics of positive results and the demographics of offenders remain consistent and what is encouraging is to see the dedication and innovation which policing puts into this operation across the country. Many forces collaborate on a regional level, working cross border and strengthening their resources as a result.  

“In addition, we are seeing the numbers of collisions in December specifically as a result of drink or drug driving reduce each year, remaining consistently at the levels experienced during Covid when far less drivers were on the roads. While there will be many factors impacting this fall, we can certainly draw a link between policing’s increased focus and enforcement activity to tackle drink and drug driving over this time of year.   

“The decision to get behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol or drugs is reckless and selfish and it will not be tolerated. Not only do you risk your own life but you seriously endanger everyone else on the road and the tragic impact of your decision will be felt by individuals, families, friends and whole communities.” 

Collisions in December where drink and drug driving is a factor 

Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) lead for drink and drug driving, Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham, Joy Allen said:   

“With responsibility for supporting victims, PCCs see and deal with the devastating impact of drink and drug driving. 

“The Operation Limit results show that more intensive enforcement works. We want to see more resource invested in roads policing and the appropriate use of tougher penalties for drink and drug driving, including immediate bans and full cost recovery of the costs from offenders, to act as a greater deterrent and protect the public.” 

Key statistics not included in report 

• A total of 8,203 drivers were caught drink or drug driving during the period of enforcement activity, with 60% (4,940) drink drive offences detected and 40% (3,263) drug drive offences detected. A total of 74,456 vehicles were stopped during this campaign with 50,948 breath tests administered, resulting in 4,940 drivers testing positive, failed or refused to provide. 

• A total of 7,112 breath tests were administered following a collision, with 1,030 drivers committing a drink drive offence following a collision. 14.5% motorists tested positive for alcohol following a collision. This percentage is the highest it has been since 2019. 

Contextual data  

Drug driving: 

• In 2022, most drivers with detected drugs had illegal substances in their system (127), followed by query drugs (61) and prescribed drugs (27). Query drugs refer to substances that may have been administered medically after a collision but also have potential for abuse.  

• Illegal drugs were primarily found in deceased drivers aged 20 to 39, while medicinal drugs were more common in those aged 30 and older.  

• Among drivers aged 70 and above, medicinal drugs were detected more often than illegal drugs, though the overall numbers in this group were small.  

• The five most frequently detected substances were cocaine, benzoylecgonine (a cocaine metabolite), cannabis, morphine, and ketamine, highlighting cocaine and cannabis as the most common illegal drugs in road fatalities.  

• From 2014 to 2022, approximately two-thirds of casualties in drug-impaired collisions were fatalities. Of these, 91% were drivers with drugs detected in their system, indicating that most fatalities were drug-impaired drivers themselves. The majority of other casualties were passengers of the impaired driver. 

Drink driving 

• The central estimate of fatalities for 2022 is the highest level since 2009, and an increase compared to the previous year.  

• The central estimate of the number of deaths in collisions with at least one driver over the alcohol limit for 2022 is 300. This represents about 18% of all deaths in reported road collisions in 2022.  
• Overall, an estimated 6,800 people were killed or injured when at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit. This represents an increase of 1% from 6,740 in 2021. 
• DfT collisions data where drink/drugs were reported as a key factor:  

A new anti-racism commitment for policing has been published in a major update from the Police Race Action Plan.

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson is among several senior leaders to renew their commitment to tackling racial disparities in policing and the wider criminal justice system in a plan update report published today (Wednesday).

At the heart of the update is a new anti-racism commitment for policing.

The commitment aims to set out the goals of an anti-racist police service, describes anti-racism in a policing context, and the action required to achieve it.

Views from policing, partners in the criminal justice system, civil society groups and communities have shaped the commitment, as well as other published statements of anti-racism.

The update also outlines proposals for a new maturity matrix being developed by the plan, a set of performance standards to help assess delivery of the plan and efforts to address racial disparities.

The maturity matrix is a cornerstone of the vision for long term scrutiny and accountability for the plan’s delivery, further details of which are included in the update.

The document contains contributions from 12 different organisations outlining their views on the Police Race Action Plan (PRAP) and its progress, as well as wider efforts to tackle discrimination and address racial disparities.

This includes contributions from the policing minister, senior police officers, agencies such as the Crown Prosecution Service as well as representatives from civil society groups and the National Black Police Association.

The PRAP has also published an update on its progress in delivering actions in the original plan, as well as bringing together examples of work being delivered in local forces in support of the PRAP’s objectives.

T/Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dr Alison Heydari, programme director for the plan, said: “This update marks another milestone in our efforts to embed our ambition of delivering an anti-racist police service into the DNA of policing.

“The reason I joined the plan was to shape its future and lead the changes we need to deliver. It remains the case that people from Black communities have the lowest levels of confidence in the police, are underrepresented in our workforce and are more likely to experience police powers such as stop and search or use of force.

“Black communities need to see and, crucially, feel change in policing. While we have a long way to go, this update outlines the work that is happening to deliver significant cultural change and improvements for the longer term.

“Explaining or reforming race disparities and addressing mistrust with Black communities will mean we are more effective at fighting crime and protecting all communities.”

The update is the second major report published by the plan in nine months, following publication of its first ever progress report in August.

Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing, said: “This is an important benchmark for police forces to show they are serious about becoming fairer, stronger, and, crucially, better equipped to tackle crime and keep their communities safe.

“We are committed to supporting police forces to stamp out racism wherever they see it so that the public are served by a modern and effective service.

“Cutting crime is a priority and one of the ways policing does this is by increasing trust with all communities which can lead to better cooperation with police appeals, more effective crime reporting, and a greater sense of safety among the public.”

For more information about the plan visit the plan’s webpages.

A national policing operation is working with the BBC’s Crimewatch Live to help identify those suspected of committing criminal offences during last summer’s disorder. 

ACC Ian Drummond-Smith of Operation Navette will appear today (Thursday 20 March) to highlight some of the worst cases of criminal behaviour caught on camera during these incidents, and to appeal to the public to help forces locate those involved. Specifically, this edition of the programme will examine incidents that occured in Manchester, Staffordshire, and Bristol.

Anyone with information about any of these individuals can contact the police via a special crime reporting portal: https://www.police.uk/disorder-appeal. 

ACC Ian Drummond-Smith of Operation Navette, the national policing response to the summer disorder, previously said:

“I’m grateful for the support shown by everyone at BBC Crimewatch Live in seeing this appeal come to fruition. We have selected the most violent and serious offences to feature in the program, alongside a larger gallery of wanted people published today on our website. Partnership work like this is a great example of how the public can help us to progress investigations and ensure that offenders face justice.

“I would urge everyone to watch these episodes of Crimewatch Live, and to carefully explore our website to see if you recognise any of the suspects.  We know some people travelled great distances to take part in the disorder, so I’d urge you to review the images even if there was no disorder in your area.

“Working with the CPS, and others in the criminal justice system, we are committed to bringing these offenders to justice keep our communities kept safe”.

Earlier this month, representatives from Operation Navette and policing featured on an episode of Crimewatch Live that kickstarted series 21 of the famous documentary programme. Their segment on that particular episode – which featured suspects from Merseyside, Humberside, Cleveland, and Northumbria – can be watched back here:

As always, those who wish to remain anonymous can report information via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or give information online.

For the second year running policing has seen consistent growth in CSAE with more than 115,000 crimes reported, a figure that has risen significantly in the last ten years. according to the second National Analysis of Police Recorded Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) Crimes Report 2023.

The report sets out publicly a clear, detailed picture of reported Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) crimes across England and Wales and has been developed by the Vulnerability Knowledge Practice Programme. It highlights that around a third of CSAE contact crimes take place within the family environment and more than half of CSAE offences (where the age was known) were committed by children (10-17 years) The statistics show offending ranging from experimental image-based abuse to serious contact offences.

Based on datasets collected from 44 police forces, this national snapshot gives refreshed, enhanced insight and analysis into the scale and nature of reported CSAE, trends in offending, including crime types, and presents profiles of both victims and perpetrators.

Understanding the scale and nature of CSAE, by which we mean the sexual abuse of children, is key to improving responses across policing, law enforcement, government, the charity sector, and partners.

It is known that there is significant under-reporting of these crimes, but policing recognises the value of presenting a known baseline of recorded abuse and harm taking place against children, to inform future understanding.

Becky Riggs, NPCC lead for Child Abuse Protection and Investigation said:

“Child sexual abuse and exploitation are horrendous crimes and this analysis helps us all to understand more about the real risks that children face as they grow up in today’s society.”

“Our work to prevent and protect children from the terrible harm of sexual abuse and exploitation never stands still and this report helps police and our partners to develop and improve our prevention, disruption, and investigation of these appalling crimes. Keeping all children safe is our shared mission.

“It’s the victims and survivors of abuse that really matter here. Behind every one of these offences is a child that has suffered harm and that’s something we never lose sight of. Many crimes are not reported or identified, with estimates that 500,000 children are sexually abused every year – a truly shocking number.

“Prioritising prevention is critical. We must stop the CSAE from happening and prevent so many children and young people from enduring the long term harm that abuse brings. At the same time we must give confidence to victims to come forward, safe in the knowledge that they will receive a compassionate and professional response. Policing must continue to relentlessly pursue offenders to justice, whilst not unnecessarily criminalising children engaged in harmful behaviours where appropriate.

“Children deserve to grow up safe in the knowledge that those responsible for protecting them from harm will work relentlessly to prevent abuse, improve outcomes for victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”

Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, said:

“This report pulls back the curtain on the truly appalling magnitude of child sexual exploitation and abuse across England and Wales. It is paramount we do more to protect children from these horrors.

“In January, the government announced a raft of new measures and an investment of £10m that will allow us to do that and drive change at a local level.

“We are introducing mandatory reporting for adults working or volunteering with children in England as part of the Crime and Policing Bill. In addition, anyone trying to cover up abuse by interfering with the duty to report can go to prison for up to seven years. The UK will also become the first country in the world to make it a criminal offence to possess, create or distribute AI models designed to generate vile online child sexual abuse material.

“We are steadfast in our determination to keep children safe and go after abusers.”

The report tells us:

• A total of 115,489 CSAE offences were recorded by police in 2023, reflecting the consistent growth in CSAE and the long-term trend of increased reporting to police. Evidence continues to suggest many crimes remains unreported, with an estimated 500,000 children experiencing CSAE every year.
• Sexual Assault on a Child was the most common crime type recorded in 29% of CSAE crimes, followed by Indecent Imagery of Children (27%) and Rape of a Child (18%).
• Contact abuse against children remains consistently high compared to that seen in crimes recorded in 2022, accounting for 68% of CSAE offences in 2023.
• CSAE remains a heavily gendered crime with males (82%, of all CSAE perpetrators) predominantly abusing females (79%, of victims).
• A relationship between victim and perpetrator was recorded for 44% of offences. Of those, 80% of victims knew their abuser.
• CSAE within the family environment remains a common context for the abuse of children, accounting for almost a third (31%) of reported CSAE crime. 93% of these crimes are contact abuse with almost half (45%) of victims under 10 years of age.
• Policing continues to receive the lowest reports of CSAE offences during school holidays, indicating an important role that the education system has in identifying and facilitating disclosure of abuse.
• Perpetrator age was recorded for 63% of offences. Where recorded, just over half of CSAE (52%) involved reports of children aged 10 to 17, offending against other children, with 14 being the most common age, similar to that reported in 2022.
• Indecent Images of Children (IIOC) offences account for 41% of offences committed by children. Analysis of a representative sample identified that 4 in 5 (80%) of these involve self-generated indecent imagery (SGII). Further analysis showed 62% of SGII involving multiple children had… had aggravating factors such as the subsequent sharing of images on social media or blackmail (commonly referred to as sextortion).
• Group-based CSAE accounts for 4.6% of all CSAE in 2023 with contact offences accounting for 3.7% and group-based non-contact offences accounting for just under 1% This is consistent with 2022. Group-based CSAE ranges from unorganised peer group sharing of imagery, to more organised complex high harm cases with high community impact.
• At least 35% of police recorded CSAE has an online element, 76% of which relates to IIOC offences The online space plays a role in facilitating contact abuse of children, though under 5% (n.3,610) of contact offences were flagged for having an online element. Of concern is the rapidly emerging threat of the sexual extortion of children. Policing and partners continue to work together to understand this threat in more detail.

Police staff from across the country were honoured at a special ceremony yesterday held at the Senior Police Staff Network conference.

Over 1,100 nominations were received across seven award categories for the inaugural National Police Staff Awards. These awards have been created to recognise the significant impact that police staff have in policing and celebrate where that work is helping to deliver policing priorities.

Nominations were received from across UK policing, showcasing the expansive roles and work that police staff undertake. Jointly hosted by the NPCC and College of Policing, this event forms part of the Police Staff Week of Celebration and Recognition 2025.

We were honoured to have in attendance the Home Secretary the Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, who presented the award for the inaugural Police Staff Team of the Year. This was awarded to the police staff who responded after the tragic events in Southport in July 2024, and who would go on to provide vital support to the community in the days and weeks to follow.

ACO Gemma Stannard, Head of the NPCC’s Strategic Hub, and ACO Alexis Poole of Devon and Cornwall Police are co-founders of the SPSN and were in attendance at today’s ceremony. They said:

“Today’s event was very special, and we feel privileged to have been able to share it with so many wonderful colleagues from across policing.

“The police service created these awards to recognise the members of police staff who have gone above and beyond in support of their communities; to recognise those who have shown immense mental, emotional, and mental bravery whilst undertaking their role; and to celebrate those whose work has contributed to vital organisational change. It is so important that we as a service take the time to appropriately recognise and celebrate these achievements.

“We are sincerely grateful that we were able to have the Home Secretary in attendance presenting the award to Police Staff Team of the Year: these individuals displayed courage, bravery and professionalism of the highest order in unprecedented circumstances and will carry what they saw that day at Southport with them for the rest of their lives.

“In carrying out their actions, they made a huge contribution to the safety and recovery of the survivors of the attack as well as securing a crime scene to ensure best possible evidence was preserved. We know we speak for all in policing when we say they have our gratitude and our respect.

“To all of the award winners today across all categories: thank you for all that you do. We hope today was a truly fulfilling experience, and we wish you all the very best”.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

“It has been a privilege to attend the inaugural National Police Staff Recognition Week and honour some truly outstanding people and fantastic achievements.

“From working with our communities to providing compassionate care to those who need it most, the role our police staff and Police Community Support Officers play in keeping our streets safe is invaluable and will have a crucial role to play as we deliver our Safer Streets Mission.

“The skill and dedication the award winners have shown is just a fraction of what every team in every force across the country is delivering every day, often in such pressurised environments, and it is fantastic to see staff and their families celebrated.”

Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing, said:

“Police staff are too often overlooked, despite providing vital work for their communities every day, often in incredibly challenging circumstances.  

“Whether it’s the intelligence from a police analyst who helps identify a criminal, a forensic investigator that provides the key piece of evidence that secures a conviction, or a PCSO who helps keep their community safe, police staff are absolutely integral to the police service, and I’m pleased we were able to acknowledge that today.  

“I’m honoured that the College of Policing was able to host the inaugural Police Staff Awards, and I hope we get to see many more police staff being recognised for their brilliant work in the coming years. 

 

Award Winners

Police Staff Team of the Year Award – Merseyside Sefton Area Police Community Support Team’

The winning team represents the Sefton Area Police Community Support Officers [as constituted at July/August 2024] and also the Social Media Officer who supported with critical work following the attack:

PSCO Eve Lancaster

PCSO Brendan Farrell

PCSO Chris Ward

PCSO Pawel Janik

Alexander Pouncey

PCSO Michelle Newman

PCSO Alice Cunningham

PCSO Lucas Cordeiro Reguin Da Silva

PCSO Timothy Parry

PCSO Barry Calder

Natalie Carroll, social media officer

Police Staff Member of the Year Award – Ian Lawrence, Family Liaison Coordinator, Lancashire Constabulary

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Lesley Yule Dunlevy, Public Enquiry and Support Assistant, Police Scotland

 

Police Staff Bravery Award – Anna Beaudro, Police Contact Enquiry Officer (PCEO), Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Ashely Heaton, Metropolitan Police Service Circulations Unit Supervisor, Met Police MO4.

New Police Staff Member (Exceptional Contribution Award) –
Ryan Clatworthy, Incident Risk and Resolution Officer, South Wales Police.
Olivia Prosser, Acting Senior Comms Officer, Cheshire Constabulary.

 

Police Staff Lifetime Achievement Award – Karen Boyd, Executive Assistant to Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations (ACSO), Metropolitan Police Service.

HIGHLY COMMENDED – David McMahon, Service Delivery Manger, Cheshire Constabulary – Enable Network.

 

Police Staff Ally of the Year Award – Claire Widdison, Head of Strategic Governance, Thames Valley Police

 

Police Staff Unsung Hero Award – [Undisclosed winner due to operational sensitivities]

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Hazel Parry, GMP Victims’ Services Coordinator – Bury, Greater Manchester Police.

More nationwide police action has removed cannabis with the street value of £48,328,000, disrupting organised criminal gangs. 

Forces across the country have once again focused their efforts on targeting major cannabis grows to disrupt violence, exploitation and organised crime across England and Wales.  

Operation Mille stems from years of investigations and information focused on organised crime groups (OCGs) who are directly involved in the growing and selling of large quantities of so-called commercial cannabis on an industrial scale.

It is the third time police forces across the country have focused their efforts on the criminal networks involved in largescale cannabis production and sale, as part of a long term commitment to tackle this illicit activity.

This significant action by police forces, regional organised crime units (ROCUs) and partner organisations has aimed to disrupt these criminal networks’ revenue streams and wider activity linked to issues like illegal migration, violent crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people.  

 
Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Adam Ball, who led the operation, said: “This week of action has seen police carry out hundreds of warrants, seize dozens of weapons and take millions of pounds worth of illegal drugs off the streets. 

“Cannabis may seem harmless but its production and subsequent selling has long fuelled other serious acts of criminality, which in turn blight our communities. It’s links to the importation of class A drugs, county lines and gang violence is prevalent, as well as the alarming levels of exploitation people fall victim to.  

“The week also demonstrates what can be achieved when working together. For months we have coordinated with colleagues from the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement, the Home Office, the ROCU network and other partners to ensure this operation has been a success. What we have found will help inform all of us for future investigations. 

“Although this latest phase of Operation Mille focused on a week of action, I want to make it clear that our work does not stop. We are already analysing results and working on information received to work out where we focus our efforts next. This is a long term commitment and there is much more police activity to come.

“We all remain committed to disrupting cannabis cultivation and the terrible crimes associated with it, to make sure our communities are safeguarded against serious organised crime.”  

As well as the cannabis plants, cocaine and ketamine were also seized in properties alongside 65 weapons, including 14 firearms, 12 machetes and 11 knives.  

242 people have been arrested and 19 individuals suspected of being victims of modern slavery and human trafficking and have been referred to the National Referral Mechanism to receive appropriate support.  

Almost half of the addresses raided by police did not have people in the premises, which matches a pattern noticed by police of an increase in empty cannabis farms. 

Where people were living, officers often found squalid living conditions and numerous hazards at the address, such as dangerous wiring into the property from mains electricity, as well as damage from things like fumes and watering. 

Police investigations at properties also highlighted the role of ‘professional enablers’ in these criminal networks.

Those supporting this kind of activity includes landlords renting out spaces as well as tradespeople such as electricians, who help gangs set up and power their grows.

ACC Ball continues: “We remain concerned about the often vulnerable people manipulated into illegal migration to work for these organised criminal gangs.  
“There is a heavy risk of exploitation for those who are coerced and manipulated into the cannabis trade. Where we spot this exploitation, we do all we can make sure that people are given the support they need to get help.” 

Charles Yates, NCA deputy director, said: “The NCA was proud to have supported policing in this very important work combating the threat of cannabis, which is a gateway drug to other very harmful substances.

“The agency deployed officers alongside policing colleagues in executing warrants, assisting with arrests, searches and interviews.

“We also supported with a range of niche capabilities including the Joint International Crime Centre and NCA’s international network in our mission to combat the supply of illicit drugs into our communities.”

Current results from Operation Mille include: 

• 368 warrants and searches
• 48,328  plants seized, worth an estimated street value of £48,328,000 (based on an average of £1,000 per plant).
• 242 individuals have been arrested 
• 65 weapons have been seized, including 14 firearms
• £183,590 in cash seized

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Cannabis farms also present a very real local threat.

The size of criminal cannabis ‘farms’ means that damage is often caused to the properties themselves; the buildings can become dangerous as a result of fire risks, unlawful abstraction of electricity, fumes and water damage.

Anyone with information about a potential cannabis factory or drug dealing can contact their local force online or via 101.

People can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or crimestoppers-uk.org

There are some key signs to spot a property could be being used as a cannabis factory:

• Frequent visitors to a property at unsocial hours throughout the day and night.
• Blacked out windows or condensation on the windows, even when it is not cold outside.
• Bright lights in rooms throughout the night.
• Electricity meters being tampered with/altered and new cabling, sometimes leading to street lighting. High electricity bills could also be an indicator.
• A powerful, distinctive, sweet, sickly aroma and noise from fans.
• Lots of work or deliveries of equipment to an address, particularly those associated with growing plants indoors without soil such as heaters and lighting.
• An excessive amount of plant pots, chemicals, fertilisers, and compost.

“Regardless of the role, there is no force in the country that can do what it needs to do to keep the public safe without police staff.” 

Those are the words of the Home Office Minister of State (Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire) the Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson, with respect to the Police Staff Week of Celebration and Recognition.

We’re extremely grateful that the Minister took the time to record this video, and thankful for her kind words about the important role that police staff play.