Aston Pride NDC, the setting for Operation Trap, was an area where levels of deprivation and drug-related activity were high and where surveys and community consultations showed that fear of crime - particularly related to drug dealing - was the primary concern of residents in the area.

The case study describes Operation Trap - a long-term anti drug dealing initiative, developed in response to the concerns of Aston residents and funded as part of the New Deal for Communities (NDC). Aston Pride NDC is in an area of high deprivation which experiences high levels of drug related activity. The Community Safety Team was established to respond to the community’s concerns about crime and the fear of crime in the area.

Operation Trap combines specialist evidence gathering, high profile patrols and the flexibility to bring in extra officers for arrests. It pays for the employment of a specialist drug enforcement officer as well as actions around education, treatment and diversion. Operation TRAP encourages local people to identify areas and individuals involved in drug dealing, but in a way which maintains their anonymity.

It is important that the community see results. Flyers were distributed in the identified problem areas designed to let the community and the drug dealers know that the team were actively targeting the areas identified by the community intelligence.

At the time the case study was written, over 193 arrests for drug related offences had been made since the inception of Operation Trap and residents and local workers reported less fear of crime.

Residents of the Aston Pride NDC area were the main beneficiaries.

Resources used included high profile patrols, flexibility to bring in extra officers where needed and a specialist drug enforcement officer. Resources were also placed in education, treatment and diversion as well as in flyers publicising the work.

Regen WM
enquiries@regenwm.org

//2004

case

Urban Policy > Security & crime prevention > Sense of insecurity

Crime hotspots