Peterborough police arrest 26 in month long operation to tackle drug violence in city

Data released by the Office for National Statistics last week showed there had been a 19 per cent rise in violent offences in the city over the past year - more than double the rate for England and Wales as a whole (seven per cent).

MORE: Large rise in violent offences in Peterborough

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Today, DCI Neil Sloan, crime manager for Peterborough and Fenland, said: “There are a number of reasons why we see changes in crime trends. These include targeted police activity, increases in reporting, changes in the way in which crimes are recorded and better compliance with National Crime Recording Standards (NCRS).

“Over the last few months we have seen a number of violent offences in Peterborough which we believe are linked to drugs. In response to this we have just concluded a significant four-week operation to tackle the violence associated with drug dealing.

“This has seen 24 warrants executed and 26 people arrested which have resulted in charges for offences including possession of weapons and drug supply. Officers have seized a significant quantity of drugs as well as many knives, weapons, cash and suspected stolen goods.

“There are a number of investigations currently going through the courts in relation to violence in the city and we have had success with some recent convictions and offenders being handed jail time, however we are not complacent in our efforts and will continue to do all we can in order to protect our communities and disrupt our most dangerous offenders.

“Much of our work is based on intelligence built up by our own officers but also from members of the local community, therefore I urge anyone who has information about the supply of drugs or people carrying weapons to report it to us via our website https://bit.ly/2DYAKYB.”

Acting Police and Crime Commissioner, Ray Bisby said: “While Cambridgeshire remains a safe place to live, I want to reassure residents living in Peterborough that I continue to be in regular discussion with the Chief Constable about the steps he is taking to tackle the recent incidents the city has seen.

“I am satisfied that a number of additional resources have been put in place to respond and deal with these incidents, including targeted operations, such as the recent four-week operation held in Peterborough which has resulted in a number of charges.

“It is important to understand that tackling violent crime is not just a matter for policing. Early intervention is key and it is therefore vital we continue to work in partnership to prevent people from turning to crime in the first place and keep our communities safe.”