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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Matt Jarram

New police teams will form across county to crackdown on organised crime

Dedicated police teams will be formed and operational by October 5 in every neighbourhood to crackdown on organised crime.

Operation Reacher was launched in April 2018 following an increase in firearms offences around the Bestwood Estate.

Police used tactics such as early morning raids to disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs peddling drugs and living lavish lifestyles off the back of crime.

In total, almost £1.8m of heroin, cocaine, cannabis and MDMA was recovered as well as eight firearms, including six handguns and two shotguns in one year.

A similar model was also set up in Gedling at the end of January.

Police will launch the same operation across every area of the county including St Ann's, Radford, The Meadows, Clifton, West Bridgford and Mansfield.

Police officers use a circular saw to gain access into a property as part of Operation Reacher (Nottingham Post)

There will be 12 new Reacher teams formed consisting of one sergeant and six police officers and they will all be in place on October 5.

Priorities for each area will be set by residents and police working together, with plans for pop up events at supermarkets and over social media so officers can determine the major issues.

Inspector Marcus Oldroyd, who is responsible for forming the new Reacher teams, told Nottinghamshire Live: "We are going to put more cops into local neighbourhoods.

"We are not only enforcing and chasing down the bad guys that cause harm but we can keep communities safe and identify and prosecute the villains that cause crime in the area.

"It is not just being visible physically but online as well. If you ask us something then we will act."

He said the Reacher teams would not "become a drugs squad" but they will be dealing with criminals who grow and push drugs as part of their work.

He said those at the top of the drugs chain would be targeted as well as street dealers, but it was about providing a tailored approach to identify issues in each area.

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