POLICE GO TO WAR ON DRUGS CRIME

Police are launching a war on drug crime after a senior officer admitted
that Nottingham has a "significant" crack cocaine problem.

Deputy Chief Constable Howard Roberts said a major new bid to rid local
streets of drug dealers will begin on September 16.

The campaign will include raids on suspected drug dens and the use of police
posters carrying the phrase Rat on a Rat, encouraging members of the public
to pass on information on drug dealers to the police by phoning the
Crimestoppers number.

Police will also step up work with agencies helping drug abusers beat their
habits.

Mr Roberts said: "Crack cocaine is a significant problem in Nottingham.

"We have been working very closely with drug action teams in putting
together a major operation against drug suppliers in Notts.

"The operation will begin in September but its success relies on the support
of the public."

Chief Constable Steve Green told the Post yesterday that the majority of
crime in the county was drug-related.

His thoughts came after the publication of new National Crime Recording
Standard (NCRS) figures showed that residents in Notts were more likely to
be victims of crime than anywhere else in Britain.

In September 2001, Notts Police were one of three forces to sign up to the
pilot of the Home Office-backed Drug Testing Scheme.

Under the initiative, which has since been rolled out across all 43 forces
in England and Wales, all people charged with "trigger" related offences -
including drugs, robbery, burglary, auto crime and theft - were drug tested.

Of 4,249 people tested to date at Nottingham Magistrates Court's Bridewell
holding cells or at Oxclose Lane police station, more than half (57) had
traces of heroin or crack cocaine in their system.

Of those, 81 (around 1,800) proved positive for crack cocaine.

Mr Roberts said: "Such is the desire of a crack-fuelled offender to get hard
cash for the next fix of drugs that we have found there is a clear
correlation between such people and street crime.

"I would appeal to the public to join us in the fight against what is
possibly the biggest threat to our community in Notts at the present time.

"Our children's future is at risk unless we all play our part now."

Mr Roberts also pointed to the work already being done by the Drugs
Intelligence Unit - opened earlier this month at the Force Intelligence
Bureau in Mansfield.

The unit is currently staffed by a detective sergeant, two detective
constables and a number of support staff.

Nottingham East MP John Heppell agreed that drug abuse was fuelling crime
across the county.

He said: "I've been to see the work of drug action groups in Nottingham and
there is no doubt that the majority of crime is drug-related.

"If you tackle drug abuse, you prevent an awful lot of crime."

Gedling MP Vernon Coaker said: "We must stand firmly and squarely behind the
police over drug crime."

Nottingham City Council's Drug Action Team, based at Melrose House in
Waverley Street, is one of many drug abuse support groups based in the
county.

One team worker, Rachel Baxter, said: "We welcome any efforts to tackle the
causes of drug abuse. However, the emphasis needs to be placed on education
and raising aspirations - particularly of young people."

'Sounds Like Spin'

Government claims that crime has fallen by three per cent nationally have
come under fire from a Notts academic.

The Home Office yesterday claimed new methods of compiling figures gave a
skewed picture of UK crime.

It said it had expected the new figures would be ten per cent higher because
of changes in crime recording and classifying. Low level offences, such as
yobbish behaviour, are, for instance, now classified as harassment, whereas
they would not previously have appeared in the crime statistics.

So when crime figures showed an overall seven per cent increase to nearly
5.9m offences nationally, the government claimed a three per cent drop in
crime.

But one Notts-based academic, who works closely with the Home Office and did
not wish to be named, said: "I really don't understand how they have come up
with their ten per cent adjustment figure.

"It sounds like a case of government spin but I would need to look at their
methodology."

But a Home Office spokeswoman said: "The ten per cent adjustment figure is
based on the number of reported incidents that are now being classified as
'new' crimes compared to previously.

"A major effort to improve the reporting and handling of domestic violence,
rape and aggravated race crimes, is also adding to the recording under the
heading of violent crime."