Operation Reacher teams across the county have been tackling speeding motorists, dismantling a cannabis grow and arresting a man in Aspley on suspicion of drug offences.
A team of Op Reacher officers were out on the road as part of a day of action using the speed gun targeting speeding drivers in Hawton Lane and Lincoln Road in Newark and the High Street in Collingham.
It resulted in 223 vehicles being checked, with nine stopped by officers. Three drivers were issued with Traffic Offence Reports for excessive speed in a 30mph zone. and a further six drivers were given advice. The team are planning more action to address speeding in the area.
Inspector Heather Sutton, Neighbourhood Policing Inspector responsible for local policing in the Newark and Sherwood areas, said: “Thanks to the efforts of the Operation Reacher team today we’ve managed to engage and educate drivers across the county.
“Vehicle related nuisance was the most complained issue in the recent ‘What Matters’ survey which was shared amongst local residents, councillors and MPs.
“Speeding is an issue across many areas of Newark and Sherwood due to our location and we know that most of our offenders are residents in the district.
“Whilst enforcement does of course help the problem, we have done a variety of things across the area to try and lessen the impact, long term. They have included having our local Reacher team officers being trained in the use of a speed gun this morning.
“We have a range of different tactics to help tackle the issue including working with the local Fire Service to provide education sessions.
“This enforcement work is part of a wider package of work trying to reduce the speeding issue in our district longer term.”
In the City West area, meanwhile, a 39-year-old man has been arrested for production of cannabis in Aspley following a warrant this morning.
Officers conducted the Misuse of Drugs Act warrant at a house in Paignton Close.
Nine officers attended the address following the proactive work and found more than 80 plants. The plants varied from different stages of growth and they’ve all now been seized.
Police Sergeant Tracey Perkins from the Neighbourhood Policing Team in the area said: “This was an intelligence-led operation in which we are looking for drugs in the property.
“Today’s warrant was the latest police activity in the area in support of ongoing efforts to crack down on drug crime, target drug dealers and disrupt drug supply in the area.”
Meanwhile, in the north of the county, officers also arrested a man in Sutton-in-Ashfield on suspicion of being unfit to drive through drugs after reports from members of the public. His car was also seized.
Operation Reacher was first introduced in Bestwood in April 2018 and was successful in comprehensively dismantling organised crime groups that had been blighting the area. Some £1.8m of drugs being recovered and lengthy jail sentences were handed down to dozens of criminals in its first year alone.
The county-wide expansion of the scheme marks a significant investment in proactive policing by Nottinghamshire Police.