Middle-class drug use blasted by Police & Crime Commissioner

PCC Philip Wilkinson has backed the government’s new 10-year drug strategy which outlines new measures to tackle county lines.

31.08.21 Devizes Philip Wilkinson, the new Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon meeting members of Wiltshire Police force during his visit to the county’s headquarters in Devizes on Monday 31st August 2021

Mr Wilkinson said that middle-class drug use is not harmless and often leaves the wider community to deal with the consequences.

While tough enforcement is important, he said “the scourge of drugs” in communities cannot be tackled by the police alone.

For the PCC this means reducing the demand for illegal drugs and increasing rehabilitation and education.

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“I have said before that Wiltshire is not a soft option for those who choose to blight our county with illegal drugs and these new measures, and funding commitments, from the government will mean that not only will those who commit drug offences be punished, but there will also be greater opportunity for them to be rehabilitated,” he said.

“Middle class drug use isn’t harmless fun, and the wider community are often left to deal with the very real consequences, including the exploitation and trafficking of children to move drugs around the country.”

The scourge of drugs in #Wiltshire is one that @wiltshirepolice cannot tackle alone and I back the new @ukhomeoffice drug strategy. Rehabilitation is key to preventing crime and protecting those most vulnerable.

Read my full response: https://t.co/rp0UfAvR0Y#CountyLines pic.twitter.com/u4MKMZrR3G

— Philip Wilkinson: PCC Wiltshire and Swindon (@pwilkinson_pcc) December 8, 2021

These new measure include more drug testing when arrests are made, giving courts the power to order drug testing for those serving community sentences related to drug use, clients from drug dealers’ seized phones to be contacted to discourage use or direct them to support and increasing the number of forces who will run new schemes focused on intervening on a wide range of individuals at an early stage, such as attendance at drug awareness courses with criminal sanctions possible for those who continue to use drugs.

A recent police operation in Swindon saw 15 lines disrupted and 14 people charged with drugs offences, and whilst the PCC fully backs the targeting of dealers, he also wants to see more users held to account.

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“Our recent operations closed 15 different lines established by London-based dealers. In the process, we seized hundreds of packets of drugs which won’t hit Wiltshire’s streets and several dangerous weapons that can’t kill or maim our residents,” he continued.

“Increased testing on arrest, and civil penalties which include fines, curfews and even the temporary removal of driving licenses or passports have my full support.

“All those who partake in the illegal drugs trade have blood on their hands, and no longer will they be able to seek benefit from the exploitation of vulnerable people.”