Cumbria police has secured over £27,000 from the Government to target serious violence in two West Cumbrian towns.
The cash, for Maryport and Workington was secured from the Home Office by Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, alongside partners.
It forms part of the constabulary’s Operation Enhance, which sees extra police patrols in areas identified as hotspots for anti-social behaviour and/or serious violence across the county.
The funding will help pay for:
- Pubwatch using Schemelink app – will enable members communicate with each other about suspicious behaviour and those engaging in violent behaviour or ongoing incidents. The funding will provide a year’s free subscription to businesses.
- Drug test wipes – These tests will allow premises to test for drug use within their premises, and to support preventative action.
- Tourniquet key – This device assists in stopping severe bleeding.
- Forensic marking sprays – The tool is a canister containing a uniquely coded forensic marking solution supplied by DeterTech UK Ltd, known as SmartWater. This will be distributed to licensed premises for identified persons to use to spray offenders. Each canister has a unique code so it can be traced back and will stay on clothing and skin for several weeks.
Allerdale Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Pete Aiston said “This funding will support police, partners and local business owners to tackle incidents of violence.
“We hope that these measures will deter individuals from going out in our communities and committing violent offences.
“We want our communities to feel safe without risk of violence, and these solutions as well as the additional Operation Enhance patrols in areas identified as hotspots has already seen success in reducing incidents.”
Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to secure additional funding for Operation Enhance to the tune of £27,000 from the Home Office. This will allow us to further target the hotspot areas in Workington and Maryport.
“Operation Enhance – and the funding being dedicated to it – will enable our officers to tackle anti-social behaviour and serious violence more effectively than ever before by having more officers out on the streets in the areas where we know anti-social behaviour has been a real problem.
“I will continue to ensure that this positive work carries on with the Constabulary to ensure that you, the residents of Cumbria, see visible policing in the areas you say you want it and where our intelligence shows it is needed. I am confident that by taking this evidence led approach Cumbria will feel safer and that we will see a reduction in these crime types.”
