New Dorset Police team will target criminals on our roads
Dorset's Police and Crime Commissioner says “Dorset is no place for you – the Interceptors are waiting”
Dorset Police has launched a new team to tackle those who use the county’s road network to commit crime.
This new “Interceptor Team” will monitor crimes like county lines drug dealing and drug trafficking, human trafficking, vehicle crime, burglary and even modern slavery.
Sergeant Lee Savage, an officer on the task force, says: “It is important that we have a team like this so if we've got any intelligence highlighting a risky individual, then we have a team on the roads to actually track those people down.”
Sergeant Savage added: “It's about reducing the risk to members of the public by identifying these high-risk road users and actually taking them off the road for good.”
Officers will use “intelligence-based policing” such as number plate detections as well as “other high-tech equipment” within the police car to allow officers to check for intelligence inside the other vehicle.
The “Interceptor Team” will also stop and search ‘out-of-county’ vehicles previously involved criminality to ensure the roads are safe for all.
Dorset Police’s Assistant Chief Constable, Steve Lyne said: “Our vision is to make Dorset a safe county for everyone through our relentless pursuit of criminals”
“Our message is clear – if you use our roads to enable your offending, you’re highly likely to be caught and put before the courts.”
According to Dorset Police, vehicles travel around 3.5 billion miles on Dorset’s road network and vehicles are the primary mode of transport for criminals.
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick said: “Putting the funding in place for this new team has been a vital step forward in taking the fight to the criminals that use our road network to commit serious crime in our county.
“The message to the criminals is clear – Dorset is no place for you – think again – the Interceptors are waiting.”