Policing success in 2023,  but focus is on new year

High Peak police will be training more officers to protect the borough next year - after a 2023 which saw them welcome more PCSOs and crack down on county-lines drugs.

Inspector Anna Woodhouse, for the High Peak, says time has flown and she cannot believe the end of the year is here.

She said: “Looking back at the past 12 months we have seen some real successes for the policing team across the area - and targeted specific areas of crime with new, innovative techniques.

“But we start everywhere with our officers ad staff - and this year has started to see the benefits of the Uplift program in the Peaks.”

She says the response teams, those officers who attend the immediate 999 calls for service, are fully staffed. Derbyshire Police has bolstered its abilities by training officers on those teams in advanced driving, meaning that they can now pursue offenders better.

Inspector Woodhouse said: “Our Safer Neighbourhood Teams have also seen fresh blood - with four new PCSOs joining the ranks - and I firmly believe that, under the leadership of sergeants Hayley Repton and Patrick Haley, that they have been engaging with the communities right across the High Peak.”

Anna says this last year the team have had the pleasure of supporting a huge number of events, including the carnivals at New Mills and Buxton, GlosFest and Hope Show to name but a few.

“We also enjoyed working with our fellow blue light colleagues when we hosted the Emergency Services Day at the Pavilion Gardens in Buxton which was an excellent event and very well attended.

We didn’t only engage with our communities but got to know lots of criminals this year too - one of our most high profile incidents the local team dealt with was the huge cannabis grow at the former M&S store in September,” she said.

“More than 900 plants were seized and destroyed and seven people were arrested in connection with the incident.”

The force also targeted so-called county lines drug dealing across the Peaks - with the county’s first Clear, Hold, Build strategy which specifically targets those who profit from exploiting vulnerable people and selling dangerous drugs in High Peak’s towns and villages.

The work aslo sees partner organisations help those vulnerable members of the community to become less susceptible to criminals and ensure that the High Peak is a place where they know they are not welcome.

Insp Woodhouse said: “Looking forward into 2024 we will continue to train our new response officers to provide an even better policing response across the borough - and continue our close working relationships with all our partner agencies to help provide a holistic approach to the issues that we see.

“Finally, I want to say a big thank you to you all - we rely on your support to help us understand the issues that we are seeing, and you act as our eyes and ears to help keep the place where we live safe.

“Lastly I want to wish you all the very best for this festive period - enjoy it and be safe.”

Lucy Ball, 28 December 2023, Buxton Advertiser