Warwickshire Police have this week launched Protect – a new campaign to tackle serious and organised crime (SOC) and the harm it causes Warwickshire communities.

Working together with partner agencies, Protect will ensure that police are in the best possible position to pursue, prevent, protect and prepare against organised crime groups.

Local Policing Priority Teams (LPPTs) are being established to target problems specific to local communities, be that relating to drugs, burglary, modern day slavery, economic crime or fraud.

Using new ways of working, Police will relentlessly pursue those involved to disrupt and dismantle their criminality, making sure they are not just put before the courts but also stripped of their ill-gotten gains.

LPPT officers will be key to intelligence gathering and responding to dynamic incidents, such as those involving county lines drugs dealing and acquisitive crime; and will work closely and collaboratively with other agencies.

Throughout the next four weeks, Warwickshire Police will be highlighting a range of activity and operations taking place across both Warwickshire and West Mercia force areas.

“There is no doubt serious and organised crime poses a threat to our communities, and those operating in organised crime groups can cause the most harm.

Our aim remains to protect the most vulnerable people in our communities from harm and doing all we can to tackle serious and organised crime will play a big part in this.”

Assistant Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith of Warwickshire Police

The broad-ranging campaign comprises four key areas of activity:

• Pursue – prosecuting and disrupting those involved in SOC
• Prevent – stopping individuals from becoming involved in SOC
• Protect – increased levels of protection against SOC
• Prepare – reducing the impact of SOC where it occurs

Progress of the campaign will be posted on Warwickshire Police’s Facebook and Twitter pages with the #Protect; and be shared on the Safe In Warwickshire Facebook and Twitter platforms.