Operation Cognition was initially launched after neighbourhood officers began receiving anecdotal information that cocaine use was an increasing issue in the night-time economy.
Officers began this multi-agency preventative work, through targeted Operation Cognition patrols and engagement, to educate members of the public about cocaethylene, offer healthcare support, and to collate data to monitor awareness of the substance.
As part of this ongoing work, the latest operation took place in the Old Market Square area of Nottingham on a Friday night (18 July).
Plain-clothed officers were joined by partners, including Nottingham City Council Public Health and Nottingham Recovery Network officials, as they spent time engaging with members of the public and educating them about the risks of using cocaine and alcohol together.
Individuals engaged with were able to discuss their concerns or personal drug use in confidence and complete a questionnaire detailing their understanding of cocaethylene and their knowledge of public drug use.
More than 80 per cent of questionnaire respondents said that they were not aware of cocaethylene.
Nearly half of all respondents said they had used cocaine before, with the majority of these people confirming that they used cocaine and alcohol at the same time.
Sergeant Graham Whitt, of Nottinghamshire Police, and recently retired former Detective Constable Colin Howes have both been heavily involved in Operation Cognition.
Sgt Whitt said: “Operation Cognition is all about preventative policing – reducing the numbers of victims, reducing the number of offences and also reducing demand on policing.
“As well as increasing awareness of cocaethylene, and the consequences of consuming cocaine and alcohol together, the other key objectives of our operation include improving health outcomes and reducing harm, reducing substance use, and reducing instances of violent crime associated with cocaethylene.
“One young person we engaged with on the Friday night said ‘they nearly died and had to be resuscitated’ after taking cocaine and alcohol at the same time.
“Another young person said they had ‘nearly had a heart attack’ after using cocaine and alcohol.”
He added: “Earning the trust and confidence of the public through our public engagement, addressing underlying causes of behaviour and working collaboratively with partner organisations, have all been key to the success of Operation Cognition.
“Many of the people we engaged with on the Friday night were signposted to support services and resources as part of our work.
“I’m proud of the progress we have made so far and would like to thank all the officers and partners involved for their efforts and hard work over several years that has contributed to this important operation.
“However, as we saw from the responses we had on Friday, the hard work isn’t over yet and we remain committed as a force to preventing and reducing crime and educating even more people about cocaethylene and the associated risks.
“We hope that by helping to change people’s mindsets before mixing these substances, either on a night out or anywhere else, and increasing the public’s understanding of the potential effects this will help individuals to safeguard themselves from being at risk either as a user, or a loved one who may be directly affected by these reactions.”
Councillor Helen Kalsi, executive member for adults social care and health at Nottingham City Council, said: “We are really pleased to partner with Nottinghamshire Police on this important campaign to raise awareness of the serious risks linked to mixing cocaine and alcohol.
“Many people don’t realise that combining alcohol and cocaine creates a toxic substance in the body, known as cocaethylene, which can have life-threatening consequences.
“This campaign is a vital step in helping people understand those dangers and in connecting them with support services that can make a real difference to their health and wellbeing.
“This campaign is about preventing harm, not about judgement. It’s about having open and honest conversations and helping people make informed choices by understanding the risks.
“Through this partnership, we’re reaching people directly and offering support in a way that’s accessible, compassionate, and informed by evidence.
“We hope this approach not only raises awareness but also empowers people to protect themselves and others – whether they’re a person who uses drugs and alcohol, friends, or family members affected by someone else’s drug use.”
Julie Sawdon, prisons and custody engagement team lead at the Nottingham Recovery Network, said: “We generally find that individuals who mix cocaine and alcohol do so with the premise that it sobers them up so they can party longer, or so they can remember getting home or get home safely which is really concerning.
“Even though most people are aware that cocaine is a Class A drug, they don’t usually stop to consider why it’s a Class A drug or the potential harm it can cause, especially when it’s mixed with alcohol.
“Unfortunately, cocaethylene is not a topic that’s particularly discussed until people access treatment services or come into contact with the criminal justice system and police partners.
“But with Operation Cognition, we generally find that people are quite open with us where most admit suffering negative effects such as heart palpitations, emotional outpourings, violent behaviours, low mood, and increased suicidal ideation.
“So, Operation Cognition is a great preventative measure to help educate the wider public, which in time will help to reduce the amount of people who need to access treatment services, or come into contact with the criminal justice system either as a perpetrator or as a survivor.”
Operation Cognition, which was initially launched in the Newark and Sherwood district, has not only been able to raise awareness of the dangers surrounding cocaethylene, it has helped by breaking down barriers, challenging stigma, and providing support to those who need it.
Its success has led to the multi-agency initiative being rolled out in other areas including Nottingham city centre and Mansfield.
In Newark, police have worked closely with partners from Newark and Sherwood District Council to raise awareness and educate residents of the dangers surrounding cocaethylene.
This awareness-raising work has included nights of action in Newark town centre, with officers working together to speak to residents and visitors to the town, handing out leaflets, putting up posters in local licensed properties, and conducting licensing checks during the evening.
Last year the force also launched a partnership with Nottingham Forest, Mansfield Town, and Notts County to begin displaying awareness material in football stadiums, with engagement stalls taking place outside and at railway stations.
Operation Cognition and the awareness of cocaethylene has also been expanded to domestic abuse support groups, education providers, and GP surgeries so that partner organisations know the signs to look out for and can offer appropriate support.
Our prevention work has also included previous deployments of a digivan used to promote our key messaging to people in high footfall locations in Nottinghamshire.
This pioneering work is in addition to county-wide enforcement operations targeting and disrupting the supply and distribution of drugs.
Operation Cognition previously won the Innovation of the Year award as part of a problem-solving showcase event held at Nottinghamshire Police’s headquarters in Arnold in October last year.
The event commended teams of officers and staff who have implemented specialist police operations designed to help make Nottinghamshire a safer place to live, work, and visit.
This win made it eligible for submission to the national 2025 Tilley Awards – set up in 1999 by the Home Office to publicise the use of problem-oriented partnership (POP) approaches to crime reduction and what can be achieved by tackling crime in a different and more strategic way.
Academic research suggests that when alcohol and cocaine are consumed together, creating cocaethylene, it increases toxic effects to the heart, liver, and other major organs.
Studies suggest that if someone has cocaethylene in their system, their likelihood of sudden death is 20 times higher than if they had used cocaine alone.
It increases the risk of heart failure, seizures, and strokes, and can cause permanent liver damage.
It can also cause increased violent and impulsive behaviours.
Cocaine use itself is a national societal issue and to achieve a long-term reduction Nottinghamshire Police continues to work with partners and the community to help educate people about its harmful effects, including the dangers of mixing cocaine and alcohol through our ongoing Operation Cognition.
According to the most recent national ONS data (deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales from 1993 to 2023) cocaine deaths rose by 30.5 per cent in one year.
Nationally there were 1,118 deaths involving cocaine registered in 2023, which was 30.5% higher than the previous year (857 deaths) and nearly ten times higher than in 2011 (112 deaths).
