Joint operation targets East Northamptonshire’s night time economy

Officers from Northamptonshire Police and East Northamptonshire District Council teamed up for a special operation aimed at stopping drug use on licensed premises across the area.

In partnership with the council’s licensing officer, members of the East Northants Neighbourhood Policing Team and Special Constabulary, visited 15 venues in total on Friday, November 8 in Raunds, Rushden, Thrapston, Ringstead and Nassington.

A specialist drug search dog and handler from Alpha K9 Security Services, funded by Raunds Town Council, assisted with the search for any illegal substances, which resulted in 11 stop and search checks.

DC Jane Manning of the East Northants Neighbourhood Policing Team, who led the operation, said: “By increasing both our visibility and visits to licensed premises, we are making it harder for those involved in the supply of drugs in our towns and villages.

“Having the resources of Alpha K9 Security Services available to us was invaluable to the operation, and we must thank Raunds Town Council for their support in providing the funding for the specialist drugs dog and handler.

“As a result of being able to take the dog into the licensed premises, we spoke to a number of people who confirmed they had used drugs earlier that evening, and enquiries are ongoing into the possession of a suspected Class A drug.

“Detecting and preventing the use and sale of illegal drugs in our communities is a key part of our work, and it was great to speak with people during this operation to explain what we were doing and why – the general feedback we had from the public, patrons and landlords was positive.

“We will continue to work in partnership with Licensing Officer Rita Groves and her team at East Northamptonshire District Council, and the night time economy to provide a safe environment for visitors of all ages to enjoy.”

A spokesperson for East Northamptonshire District Council said: “We are proud to have joined up with Northamptonshire Police and Alpha K9 Security Services on these successful operations.

“Everyone involved has worked hard to ensure this was a success and a special mention should go to Raunds Town Council who funded the operation and are clearly taking proactive steps to keep their residents safe.

“The success we had wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the local community. This is an example of community engagement at its finest. We would like to thank local residents for the large amount of intelligence we have received concerning drugs and to those who were supportive whilst our staff were on the operation.”

If you suspect drug activity in your area, and would like to report it, please call Northamptonshire Police on 101.