Police anti-drugs plan is called into question

A FORMER undercover police officers has questioned an apparent 'war on drugs' approach being advocated by Devon and Cornwall Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner.

- CARL EVE

Last month, Alison Hernandez, Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner, picked out issues 'that matter most to residents' in Devon and Cornwall, noting that among them drugs were the 'driving force behind anti-social behaviour and violence that blights lives! Ms Hernandez highlighted the work being undertaken by officers involved in Operation Scorpion, which sees uniformed and plainclothes police, along with sniffer dogs, target those who use and deal drugs whether they are Class A substances like heroin and cocaine, or Class B, like cannabis.

Last June, Ms Hernandez controversially suggested that cannabis should be recategorised as a Class A drug and should never be legalised. Writing on the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner's website, she noted the damage caused by organised crime groups employing 'County Lines' tactics.

Ms Hernandez wrote: "Tackling County Lines is an enterprise we should all be involved in. Police need us to play a part in looking out for and reporting signs of County Lines activity in our neighbourhoods. By working together across the South West, we will disrupt the drugs market and ensure those behind this immoral trade are dealt with robustly."