Crime chief is ‘committed to getting killer off street’
CHARLOTTE GREEN
THE county’s top elected police chief has underlined his commitment to ridding our streets of killer drug cocaine.
Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, has told the Observer that alongside officers fighting drugrelated crime, his office spends half a million pounds annually supporting ‘vital’ prevention schemes for those struggling with addiction.
Mr Grunshaw was speaking following the Observer’s campaign to highlight the rising problem of cocaine in Hyndburn after 17 deaths from the lethal drug in less than a year.
Mr Grunshaw said: “In Lancashire, officers work hard to tackle the supply of drugs across all areas of the county.
“We have seen nationally that deaths related to the misuse of drugs have increased and I am committed to both stopping the supply of these drugs onto our streets whilst also making sure those whose lives have been impacted by drugs get the help and support they need.
“We spend in the region of £500,000 per year to help fund prevention schemes across the county that support those who may have suffered from addiction previously – I’m committed to supporting these vital services and working in partnership is key.”
The 2016 Home Office Crime Survey for England and Wales suggests that cocaine is the second most commonly drug, after cannabis.
Mr Grunshaw added: “Successful prosecutions of those found to be supplying drugs into our communities often initially come from concerns raised by the public, so I would urge anyone with those concerns to contact the police on 101 or by reporting it online.”
Statistics also reveal that Lancashire tops the entire North West for the numbers of people being admitted to hospital for drug poisoning or behaviour, or related mental health problems.
Figures released by the NHS show that across the region, Lancashire had used the highest number of people being admitted to hospital after being poisoned by illicit drugs, with some 450 episodes recorded in 2015/2016.
The county also has the highest levels of people seeking hospital treat- ment for drug-related mental health and behavioural disorders, 2312, a higher total than Manchester and Liverpool.
This has increased yearon-year, rising by nearly 500 admissions since 2013/2014.