Availability Plan

The Force Intelligence Bureau along with the Divisional Intelligence Units manages all targeted policing activities against drug suppliers. The Divisional Intelligence Units (DIU) will determine the appropriate responses.

The DAAT and police have established a countywide (including Peterborough), Availability Forum to drive forward and co-ordinate the tackling of drug supply. This forum will also address a countywide response to the national crack guidance. A senior police officer, Deputy Chief Constable Alan Given, will Chair the Availability Forum on behalf of Cambridgeshire DAAT and Peterborough DAAT.

The Availability Forum will examine issues such as operational planning and impact assessment through sharing of appropriate information. Information is shared at the Drug and Alcohol Reference Groups (DARGs), Community Safety Partnerships, Communities Against Drugs (CAD) Management Group meetings and DAAT meetings, regarding general police activity in tackling drugs. This provides the formal system by which the DAAT and partner agencies share information regarding access to specialist services, availability of drugs, and police planned activity. It is within this system that strategic consultation and planning is conducted.

Crack Cocaine
In addition to this, the police are represented at the Cambridge Crack Strategy Group, where police and welfare services share information tactically about vulnerable minors, adults and other individuals of interest. Within this meeting information is discussed and shared regarding enforcement and welfare issues around persons affected by crack cocaine.

The police are now producing regular drug "Market Profiles", which have been shared with various partners at different times of the year.

Strategic Planning
Within the restructure of the Southern Divisional Intelligence Unit, there are now three members of staff in post whose work will compliment that of the DAAT and contribute to strategic planning. The new role of Partnership Intelligence Co-Coordinator has been created. The post is held by Terry Moor, and his remit is to work with partner organisations and establish protocols and procedures for the effective sharing of information where appropriate. There is also a dedicated "Drugs Analyst" and "Field Intelligence Officer", whose sole responsibility will be to develop community intelligence and produce enforcement packages. This role will be developed to build stronger links in "drugs intelligence" with the various partners. There will be work to ensure that the following tactics are used effectively:

• Targeting in line with the NIM - Level 1 and 2 Criminality.
• Control Strategy - Divisional Strategic Assessment - Enforcement, Intelligence and Prevention.
• Overt Policing activities - High Visible Patrol/Directed Patrols, Stop Search, Warrants.
• Covert policing activities - Full use of covert tactics and intelligence gathering methods.
• Increase in community intelligence, linked to targeting.
• Full use of Media to prevent drug trafficking offences, through awareness.
• Housing legislation - eviction of tenants linked to Crack Houses or premises involved in the supply of Class A drugs.
• Confiscation and Forfeiture - Proceeds of Crime Act.
• Link with Drug and Alcohol Referral - Treatment for users.
• Link with DAAT - Specific operations planned, including use of the Recovered Assets Fund
• Community Safety Dept - Specific initiatives to raise the awareness within the community of drug activities.
• Education - internal and external - recent presentations from Operation Ortolan to Magistrates and Judges within Cambridge, have clearly raised the awareness and seen an increase in sentencing within the Cambridge area.
• Link to health Service, Probation, YOS and sharing of information.

These tactics underpin all operations against drug markets.

Links between enforcement interventions and treatment services for drug using offenders, as well as the gap in the provision of multi-agency support for the re-integration of offenders back into the community, will be reviewed in line with Models of Care - for full details please see the treatment plan and Models of Care Implementation Plan.

Effective enforcement of middle markets suppresses supply to those operating locally. There are therefore close links with the treatment agenda locally, with care pathways established from police and courts into treatment.

Partnership Work
Treatment services are informed about a potential increase in clients where this is deemed appropriate.

Those arrested for drug offences and drug related offences have the opportunity in the cells to be assessed by an Arrest Referral Worker and are referred on for treatment of their drug use. The treatment sector in Cambridgeshire works with the criminal justice sector to develop and improve take-up of treatment options by appropriate offenders. In particular, work is planned under the Models of Care Implementation process to strengthen this work.

The enforcement strategy links together with the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, especially in relation to funding through Communities Against Drugs. CAD money has been spent across the county on resources for the police for targeted policing, ANPR systems, CCTV and covert cameras. CAD money will continue to be spent to aid the police in enforcement activities.

During a police operation and where appropriate and there are concerns regarding drug use of one or more of the children's carers, the parents needs will be supported by a project team. This provides the family with a package of intensive care/support thereby preventing the removal of the children from the home. The project is able to put services in place at short notice and be able to respond to a crisis as well as providing a flexible response, which is aimed specifically at the needs of the family where drug use is an issue.

The DAAT work in partnership with the police and the Community Safety Partnerships to examine where environmental improvements could be made and to act accordingly.

Cambridgeshire DAAT seeks to reduce the availability of drugs, playing particular attention to heroin and crack, the drugs causing most harm to our communities. Through the Availability Forum, local targets will be agreed. These targets and associated results and figures will be reviewed quarterly by the Availability Forum. Both prisons within the DAAT area have dedicated Prison Liaison Officers deployed, ensuring that there is a free flow of intelligence and information. There are both National Policies and local memorandums of understanding in place ensuring that both organisations are aware of each other's capabilities.