POLICE and transport staff joined forces to clamp down on crime across Nottingham’s public transport system again this week, using a highly trained passive drugs dog to detect drugs and passenger drug use on all transport networks in the city centre area.
On Tuesday 24th May 2005, over 20 police officers worked with transport staff at Nottingham Station, and NCT and NET stops, in a co-ordinated effort to detect drugs, eliminate anti-social behaviour, fare avoidance and other crimes.
The operation is a further partnership initiative from Respect for Transport, to reduce crime on public transport, sending out strong messages to offenders and improve perceptions of safety whilst travelling on public transport to passengers.
This is a joint initiative with the British Transport Police and Nottinghamshire Police forces working together with the transport operators, they will continue to demonstrate a zero-tolerance attitude towards the carrying of drugs and anti-social behaviour on public transport.
Inspector Jamie Fulks from BTP stated "We are pleased to be able to use the BTP passive drugs dog on all Nottingham transport modes, these dogs are regularly used at train stations with considerable success, resulting in many drug prosecutions as well as other related crimes. I am sure that by extending the use of these dogs to other forms of public transport in the city we will quickly reduce the incidence of drug use and carrying, on public transport."
The passive drugs dog worked on all modes of public transport on Tuesday 24th May late afternoon and early evening in the city centre area, it is planned to use this dog on a regular basis if the operation proves successful.
The Respect for Transport campaign, which is improving the safety of public transport in Nottingham and is backed by Nottingham City Council, NCT, NET, JD Decaux, Greater Nottingham Transport Partnership’s the Big Wheel, Nottinghamshire Police and the British Transport Police.
Gary Smerdon-White, of GNTP, said "We know that public transport is already safe for most people most of the time; Respect for Transport aims to make public transport safer and more secure for everyone all of the time by stamping out violence and anti-social behaviour, and by bringing offenders to justice."
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