WARWICKSHIRE Police is getting street in the fight against drug crime.
The force has turned to music as part of the on-going battle against so-called county lines – where big city drug dealing gangs target smaller towns and rural areas.
PC Stephen Croshaw has created a rap video in his spare time with the help of 16-year-old Nuneaton rap artist Alan Lloyd aka Anti Hate.
PC Croshaw said: “We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable people in our communities from harm, and tackling serious and organised crime plays a big part in this.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with Anti-Hate to create the video, and hope it will help to highlight the issue of county lines, and encourage people to look out for the signs of young people being exploited.”
Asst Ch Con Alex Franklin-Smith praised the crime-fighting duo’s efforts.
He added: “Tackling county lines crime is now part of day-to-day business for our force, and it’s really pleasing to see our officers engaging with the local community and creating innovative ways to highlight this issue.
“This is a fantastic example of our officers working directly with young people on crime that directly affects them. Using YouTube is a great channel to reach young people and our communities, and I hope this will help raise awareness.
“Over the coming months we will continue to identify and disrupt organised criminality across the county, in order to protect our communities and lead the fight against serious and organised crime.”
The video has also been endorsed by the National Crime Agency.
County Lines lead and director of Investigations Nikki Holland said: “Tackling county lines is a national law enforcement priority. We are working with police forces to tackle this complex problem and to stop the misery that it causes to local communities.
“This video is an excellent way of raising awareness of the signs of county lines.
“It encourages people to recognise the signs and report their suspicions. Using videos, such as this one, is vital in our fight against the crime networks preying on our communities.”
Visit youtu.be/gDkpxOC6KhM to watch the video.
