Suffolk Police says new neighbourhood team continues to make progress
The Kestrel team was formed in August
Suffolk Police says its new countywide team is continuing to make a positive impact to the county.
The Kestral team was formed in August and is dedicated to tackling criminal threats and challenges that emerge in particular local areas.
It is made up of one sergeant and six PCs based at Eye, but can be deployed to any location in the county.
Since it was formed it has conducted 500 hours of foot patrols, located four missing people, made 36 arrests, seized almost £8,000 worth of drugs, and made 45 positive stop searches.
The team have also made 78 safeguarding referrals to help support vulnerable people.
Sergeant Kelvin Wenden, from the Kestrel Team, said: "These results demonstrate the positive impact the Kestrel team has already had in a relatively short period of time. It’s very satisfying team to be part of – we always get plenty of praise and appreciation from local residents and other people in the communities we work in.
"A big part of our role is the engagement element - speaking with locals, listening to their issues and then we use that intelligence to tackle those issues and make a positive difference. It’s a team that can make a big difference in a relatively short amount of time in terms of addressing ASB ‘hotspots’ or other criminality and we are very keen to continue with this approach in the months ahead."
Tim Passmore, Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner, added: "The funding for the Kestrel team has come directly from the precept increase in this year’s budget. It is one of several additional resources made possible by the precept and I hope people will see that it really is making a difference.
"This team is able to swoop into areas where additional resource is required to deal with issues affecting communities, working alongside local policing teams. It is great to hear that local communities really appreciate their input and the results speak for themselves."
Suffolk Police are planning to introduce another Kestral team in the south of the county this year.