More than £200,000 to be invested into the community thanks to Proceeds of Crime Act

Thanks to the efforts of Humberside Police and its proactive operations that tackle serious and organised crime, more than £200,000 of recovered funds will be re-invested into the region to support a range of initiatives and projects.

The Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) was created to tackle organised crime, giving police the power to seize cash and recover assets, such as cars and houses bought by criminals through the proceeds of their crimes.

Last year, thanks to Operation Galaxy, Humberside Police disrupted organised crime valued at more than £6m. The assets recovered will now be used to benefit the communities that have been affected by crime as we continue to keep the people of Humberside safe.

From tablet devices to help our neighbourhood policing teams engage better with the local communities, to mental health awareness training within our force control room and even mini police officers in schools across our patch, we’ve been able to fund a wide range of initiatives thanks to the hard work of our officers. 

The mini police programme (right) gives young people the chance to engage with police officers from an early age, helping them to be comfortable speaking to and engaging with uniformed officers. As part of the initiative, children learn about how to be good citizens when they’re at school, at homes and the things they can do to support their local communities.

Humberside’s Neighbourhood Policing Teams have been equipped with tablet devices so they can better engage with the public when they’re out and about. The devices enable officers to conduct surveys and receive feedback which then helps to better police the communities in which they serve.

In Scunthorpe, a range of initiatives are underway to combat residential and commercial burglary. Community members have been given access to a range of free crime prevention resources including alarms for residential properties and smart tagging for commercial premises. The initiative to-date has helped to reduce reports of burglary and thanks to our ongoing community engagement, a high number repeat offenders have been arrested and charged with offences.

On the community fund, Chief Constable, Lee Freeman, said; “There is absolutely no place for serious and organised crime in any part of Humberside. These people blight the communities in which they operate, often making the lives of those that live there miserable. It is important that our communities see us taking proactive action against criminal activities.

“The communities that are benefiting from this year’s fund have been instrumental in helping us to tackle crime; it is only fair that they benefit from the proceeds of crime to help make their communities safer and stronger.” 

Operation Contract has also benefited from the proceeds of crime fund. Focussed on making the night time economy a safe place for everyone, community funds have provided a range of anti-spiking kits, useful literature and additional visible patrol to reduce the risk of serious sexual offences. It has also helped to fund an awareness campaign, focussed solely on those that commit crimes – our #GetConsent campaign has featured on billboards, posters and social media across the region.

Most recently, with national concerns over drink spiking peaking in October and November, the fund has enabled bars and clubs in the region to be equipped with drink testing kits and early evidence cups, to ensure those that have been spiked get appropriate treatment, immediately.

On the initiatives, Mr Freeman added; “Every person in our community deserves to go about their lives free from fear or concern. Our officers are embedded within every community across Humberside and will do all they can to ensure you feel safe and supported.

“I encourage you to speak to our officers if you have any worries or concerns, or if you have any ideas on how your community would benefit from the proceeds of crime funds.”

Other projects funded by the proceeds of crime fund include a cycle prevention scheme, including free bicycle tagging, and donations to mental health charities to support them to continue doing the valuable work they do with those that need it.

Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison said: “It’s encouraging to see the recovered proceeds of crime being put to good use to keep our communities safe. This is something that resonates positively with the public as the police continue to turn the tables on those who would seek to profit from criminality.”