Joint operations help to cut crime and improve road safety

PC Joanna McGee talks to a driver about wearing his seatbelt.

Two police operations took place last week to tackle cross-border crime, travelling criminals and road safety concerns in the Erewash and Bolsover areas.

Operations Safedrive and Vanquish took place on 19th, 20th and 21st January, visiting areas of Long Eaton, South Normanton and Ilkeston respectively.

Operation Safedrive involved local Safer Neighbourhood policing teams working alongside officers from CREST (Casualty Reduction and Enforcement Support Team) and VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) to visit areas where residents have reported nuisance motorists.

Officers looked for illegal or unsafe drivers, unroadworthy vehicles, drivers using mobile phones and drivers or passengers not wearing a seat belt.

Throughout the course of the three-day operation 178 drivers were required to take some action in respect of their driving or vehicle; including 97 drivers cautioned or fined for not wearing a seatbelt and 23 drivers cautioned or fined for using a mobile phone.

Ian Windmill, CREST Supervisor, said: "We have been working closely with the VOSA and Safer Neighbourhood teams to target those drivers who pose a risk to themselves or others on the road.

"We have utilised the local knowledge of the neighbourhood policing teams to target the problem areas designated as priorities by members of the community."

Alongside this work, Operation Vanquish involved specialist roads policing and proactive teams carrying out covert and high visibility patrols focused on travelling criminals entering into the county.

These teams used ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) devices to target those suspected of committing offences. They worked to identify travelling criminals, gather intelligence and recover stolen property.

Four arrests were made during Operation Vanquish; two for drug offences, one for theft and one wanted person.

Quantities of heroin, cocaine and cannabis were seized, as well as £1300 in cash believed to be the product of crime and £600 of stolen property.

PC Tom Wagg said: "The consecutive running of Operations Safedrive and Vanquish is the first time that this sort of two-pronged approach has been tried in Derbyshire and we are pleased that so many positive results were achieved.

"Vanquish was designed to tackle serious, acquisitive crime and a series of good arrests and seizures were made during the three days. The work of Safedrive was to tackle priority problems and improve road safety within local communities, and we hope that the combination of the two projects will help to improve safety throughout the area."