[A] conference event aimed at raising awareness and building closer links with partner agencies has been held to help tackle serious and organised crime in Cumbria.
The event, hosted by Safer Cumbria at the Stoneybeck Inn at Bowscar on Thursday 28th June, saw over 60 professionals from over 20 local and regional agencies attend and discuss topics such as:
- County Lines drug supply
- Sextortion
- Cyber crime
- Modern slavery & human trafficking
- Protection of vulnerable people
The key theme of the day was that serious and organised crime is the responsibility of all agencies.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dean Holden said: “Today’s conference event provided an opportunity for us as police force to raise further awareness of serious and organised crime threats with our partner agencies.
“What was abundantly clear from the event was an appetite from each agency represented to continue to work together to ensure Cumbria remains the safe place it is today.
“Numerous topics were discussed including the continued emergence of County Lines drug supply. We are seeing incidents across the county where drug gangs, based in other areas of the country, are sending couriers to locations in Cumbria to establish a drug supply market. They establish a stranglehold in the area by exploiting local drug users and young people. Threats of extreme violence and in some cases carrying out those threats are a common method of reinforcing their operation.
“We work very hard to identify, disrupt and dismantle these gangs and have a proven record of putting offenders behind bars. However drug supply will not be resolved by enforcement alone, and this is where working with other agencies and members of the community will help tackle issues seen in our county.
“Education is key. By providing information to adults and children on the dangers of being involved in drug supply, or drug misuse, we can hopefully prevent the demand for controlled drugs.
“Members of the public can help us tackle crime in their communities by reporting suspicious behaviour and any crimes they witness. With further information we will be able to disrupt and prevent further offences.
“I have no doubt that today’s event will help us identify and protect vulnerable people to ensure that Cumbria remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”
Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall said: “It was great to see the Constabulary and our partner agencies today showing their commitment to working together to help tackle the growing issue of serious and organised crime in the county. As I have said before, my ethos is ‘we, not they’, in that we all have a part to play in preventing and dealing with crime, and that includes the public as well as our partners.
“I am sure that this conference has helped raised awareness of some of the known and emerging threats from the serious and organised crime gangs that pose a threat to our county, and with that increased knowledge, we are better placed to help disrupt and close these gangs down.”
