By According to a police chief, there has been a 44% spike in drug-related crime reported as a result of the increasing use of stop and search powers.
Chief Constable Rob Carden of Cumbria Police described the spike in drug-related crime as “great news” because it was an example of “pro-active” policing.
He claimed that when the police announced that it was doing 850 searches a month, up from 150, the Home Office had questioned the force’s statistics.
“There’s no more drugs in Cumbria; they’re being found,” he stated.
A police chief claims that the increased use of stop and search powers has resulted in a 44% increase in drug-related crime.
The rise in drug-related crime, according to Cumbria Police Chief Constable Rob Carden, is “great news” since it represents “pro-active” policing.
He said the Home Office had questioned the force’s data when the police revealed that it was doing 850 searches a month, up from 150.
“There’s no more drugs in Cumbria; they’re being found,” he claimed.
He responded to inquiries about police financing, antisocial behavior, violence against women, and officer retention in a comprehensive interview.
He stated that Cumbria missed out because of the police budget system and described achieving the £16 million in targeted savings over a five-year period as the “biggest challenge” the force faced.
It is projected that 47 million tourists visit the county annually, which is home to popular tourist destinations including the Lake District.
“In terms of funding, the inflation of the population by anything between 47 and 50 million – that’s not catered for,” he remarked.
In addition, Mr. Carden expressed his desire for any upcoming funding review to be “sophisticated enough to take that into account”.
“One area where we can really improve” is dealing with anti-social behavior, he said, adding that the police had sought to the government for £1 million to deal with hotspots.
While acknowledging that worries about officer retention and morale were “valid,” he also cited a recent inspection report that concluded the force was “outstanding” at supporting the staff and drawing in “good people.”
According to him, there is a “real concern” about violence against women and girls, and Cumbria Police is one of only five forces that has seen “any reduction whatsoever”.
