Over 50 suspected criminals were arrested, more than £100,000 worth of drugs seized and over 3,500 addresses visited in the first week of a new landmark policing operation.
Northumbria Police launched Operation Impact last week - the largest operational activity ever carried out by Force.
The operation was launched by Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine with a wave of activity taking place across the North East.
She joined her policing colleagues on the front-line as dozens of suspects were detained and a haul of illicit goods seized in strikes across Sunderland, South Tyneside, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland.
The operation, which will see a robust Force-wide crackdown tackling the issues most important to residents, also saw police positively engage with thousands of families, with officers knocking on doors and listening to residents’ concerns.
The feedback submitted will shape the Force’s future activity, which is already in the pipeline under the banner of Operation Impact
Chief Constable Jardine, who last week marked her 100th day with the Force, said: “This operation is all about listening to our communities, understanding what concerns them and then taking action to make a tangible, positive difference.
“It was lovely to meet so many people across the Northumbria Police area last week as part of this new operation – and this is just the start. We hope the messages of Operation Impact continue to reverberate across our region for many months to come.
“You will continue to see highly-visible, coordinated action tackling the issues most important to you, whether it’s anti-social behaviour, motorcycle disorder or drug supply.
“I’d like to thank everyone who was involved in Operation Impact last week, including our officers, staff and partners who showed such passion and dedication throughout the course of the week.
“We were thrilled by the positive reception received from our communities, without whom none of this is possible. I’d like to thank every single person who spoke to our officers and engaged with us – it’s hugely appreciated.”
Last week, as part of the Operation Impact activity, we saw:
- Over 500 police officers, staff and volunteers involved in activity across all six local authority areas
- Over £100,000 worth of drugs seized from addresses including in South Shields, Ashington and Elswick
- More than 3,500 addresses visited across the region with officers speaking to residents, businesses and visitors
- Over 50 arrests for a range of offences including drug supply, assault and burglary
If you are aware of any form of criminal activity in your area, please contact police and report it.
You can do so by using the ‘Report a Crime’ or ‘Tell Us Something’ pages of our website, or by calling 101. In an emergency, or if a crime is taking place, always ring 999.
To find out more about #OpImpact and see all the future activity planned, please follow Northumbria Police’s social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
