Measures to clamp down on organised crime welcomed
APCC Lead for Serious and Organised Crime Donna Jones has welcomed raft of new measures announced by the Government in a bid to clamp down on organised crime and frustrate criminal enterprises.
All police forces across England and Wales will adopt a new approach for tackling serious and organised crime, after early signs of success have been seen by forces already piloting the strategy – with West Yorkshire police reporting a significant drop in burglaries, drug offences and antisocial behaviour in its pilot area.
‘Clear, Hold, Build’ is a multi-agency partnership tactic, designed by the Home Office and endorsed by the Policing Inspectorate, to rescue areas of the country most blighted by organised crime.
The Government has also launched a consultation on potential new laws to criminalise the making, supply and possession of items strongly suspected to facilitate serious crime – such as digital templates for 3D-printing firearms components, pill presses and sophisticated encrypted communication devices.
APCC Lead for Serious and Organised Crime and PCC for Hampshire, Donna Jones, said: “The raft of measures announced today are a positive step towards clamping down on organised criminals operating in our communities.
“Serious and organised crime poses a significant threat, it devastates lives and destabilises our society. We welcome any ways in which the response to serious and organised crime can be strengthened, and on behalf of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales, we will be feeding in our views to this important consultation.
“PCCs play a key role in bringing partner agencies together, to help protect communities and vulnerable people, preventing those at risk from engaging in criminality.
“We will continue to work with the Government, the National Crime Agency (NCA) and partners to help make our communities safer and prevent serious and organised crime wreaking havoc within our communities.”