POLICE WINNING WAR ON DRUGS

Police are winning the war on the problem of drug-users committing crime
to fund their habits.

Local officers are taking part in an Essex Drug and Alcohol Team
county-wide scheme aimed at identifying and helping hard-drug addicts to
break the destructive cycle.

And new figures show the project is helping an estimated 100 offenders a
month to get crucial treatment - way above the government target of 33 a
month.

Inspector Paul Howell, Essex Police's lead officer on drug and alcohol
misuse, said: "In the past, the police very much worked in isolation to
address persistent offenders who committed crime to fund drugs.

"We needed a way of bringing all agencies -together to identify the
problems quickly and appropriately in order to find long-term and, more
importantly, sustainable partnership solutions.

"A tremendous amount of work is now going on among our many partners and
it is proving to be a successful partnership response to crime reduction."

Clive Emmett, manager of the drug intervention programme, said: "The next
phase of the project is to introduce fast-track prescribing, in which
addicts can be seen within 48 hours and given alternative, prescribed
drugs. This will be a major advance in changing the lives of class A
users.

"We have had many success stories since the scheme started and we are
getting more and more referrals from police officers.

"We tell clients they have got to face their -punishment but we will walk
alongside them - without leading them by the hand.

"It's all about helping people, giving them fresh hope for the future and
reducing crime. We are extremely proud of what we have achieved so far."