The new divisional commander for Ayrshire insists cracking down on the supply and misuse of drugs throughout the region is a top priority.
Mark Hargreaves told the Kilmarnock Standard he is “delighted” with his new role.
And he warned those plying a trade in illegal substances would be targeted.
He said: “The people of Ayrshire, through the local policing plans, have identified the supply and misuse of drugs as one of their priorities.
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“And it is an area of policing I will be immediately looking to review our approach to see what measures can be undertaken to tackle this problem.
“Drug dealing and misuse is a scourge on our communities, and is often the catalyst for other crime types such as crimes of violence and dishonesty, also identified as priorities by the community.
“In addition to enforcement action, I will work closely with our partners to ensure those who need help in tackling addiction issues, who come to police attention, are supported to break this cycle with a view to achieving a sustained reduction in criminality associated with substance misuse.
“This is a complex issue and one that requires the support of partners and the community, and one that I am determined to make an impact on for the benefit of the people who live, work in, and visit Ayrshire.
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“I would encourage residents of Ayrshire to assist police in this regard by providing any information regarding drug misuse or any crimes to local officers or by contacting police directly on 101 or via Crimestoppers.”
Mr Hargreaves joined Strathclyde Police in 2000 and has worked his way through the ranks over the years.
He was first posted to response policing in Maryhill, north Glasgow before being promoted to Lanarkshire – spending time as response sergeant in East Kilbride and Hamilton, South Lanarkshire then moving to headquarters following promotion to inspector.
The Glasgow-born officer performed in a number of roles and was posted to C3 Division, undertaking the role of duty officer, service overview, with responsibility for coordinating the response to serious incidents.
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In the rank of chief inspector, he also performed the role of area commander at two sub-divisions within Greater Glasgow, namely Glasgow South West and Glasgow East.
On promotion to superintendent, Mr Hargreaves assumed the specialist operations portfolio within the Greater Glasgow Division during the delivery of the Commonwealth Games.
From there, he moved on to a national role seeking to develop local policing and ensure an equitable service nationally as lead for the local policing development support team.
In 2017, Mr Hargreaves transferred to the support and partnerships role within the professional standards department, taking over as chief superintendent and head of professional standards, where he remained until taking up his recent post in Ayrshire.
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Chief superintendent Hargreaves has been impressed by Ayrshire officers following his appoitment.
He added: “I am delighted and honoured to be appointed as the local policing commander for Ayrshire division.
“Since my arrival in Ayrshire, I have been hugely impressed by the work of the officers and staff in Ayrshire in keeping the people of Ayrshire safe.
“I am particularly pleased to note the numerous examples of ongoing successful partnership working between the police and other organisations, and aim to build on that success to drive forward the policing priorities identified by the public.”
