Grooming Gangs Taskforce makes 550 arrests in its first year
The Taskforce was set up to target grooming gangs after a series of high profile cases
Last updated 21st May 2024
Police officers in England and Wales, working as part of a taskforce to bring down grooming gangs, have made more than 550 arrests in the last year, according to the Home Office.
Established by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in April 2023, the Grooming Gangs Taskforce of specialist officers has worked with all 43 police forces in England and Wales to support child sexual exploitation and grooming investigations.
The Home Office says more than 4,000 victims have been protected as part of the work undertaken by the Taskforce in the last 12 months.
Police targeting grooming gangs
Led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and supported by the National Crime Agency, the Taskforce is a full-time, operational police unit funded by the Home Office to improve how the police investigate grooming gangs and protect children from abuse.
It is staffed by experienced and qualified officers and data analysts who have long-term, practical on-the-ground experience of undertaking investigations into grooming gangs.
Home Secretary, James Cleverly said: “Where a child is being abused, we must do everything in our power to protect them and pursue the perpetrators until they are behind bars.
“This despicable crime can have a lasting impact on a child’s life and I am pleased that in only a year, the Taskforce’s hard work alongside local policing efforts has led to more than 550 arrests and helped keep thousands more children safe. I thank everyone that has been involved in this effort.
“But we know we must do more. Through our Criminal Justice Bill we are better protecting children by requiring all professionals to report to police where they fear abuse is taking place and banning sex offenders from changing their names to evade justice.”
Grooming gangs targeted by 400 officers
On Monday, the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, visited Essex Police where he spoke to the force’s Child Sexual Exploitation teams who have seen their investigations supported by the Taskforce in the last year.
More than 400 officers across the country have now been specially trained by the Taskforce, with more set to be mobilised over the coming months to root out child sex offenders.
Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, Laura Farris said: “I am proud that the measures announced by this government just over a year ago to clamp down on crimes perpetrated by grooming gangs has led to hundreds of arrests, and the protection of over 4,000 victims.
“We must continue to do more to support the police, placing technology and specialist training at the heart of our rigorous targeting of abusers who prey on vulnerable young people in the most appalling way.
"They must be brought to justice and face the full force of the law.”
Data used to target grooming gangs
As part of the Taskforce’s work, the Complex and Organised Child Abuse Database id designed to provide forces with a more robust data picture of the scale, risk, prevalence and characteristics of group-based child sexual exploitation than ever before - helping forces to deploy their resources locally in the most targeted way.
The Taskforce has also forged partnerships with hotels to raise awareness of the early warning signs of child sexual exploitation through Operation Makesafe.
Ian Critchley, NPCC National Police Lead for Child Protection and Abuse said: “Since the Taskforce was launched, significant strides have been made to enhance the policing response to CSE investigation as well as co-ordinate best practice and guidance to further protect victims and disrupt perpetrators, through working closely with forces such as Essex .
“Sadly, we know that CSE in many forms is still prevalent in our communities. The way we listen to, and support victims and survivors of these most abhorrent crimes is key to building on and maintaining the progress we have already made through the work of the CSE Taskforce and dedicated force teams."