Latest news with #AlisonHernandez
BBC News
04-07-2025
- BBC News
Devon and Cornwall county lines crackdown leads to 41 arrests
More than 40 arrests have been made across Devon and Cornwall in a police county lines Scorpion targets gangs who use young people to traffic drugs into the region from major cities, including Manchester and seven-day operation is run by five police forces, including Devon and Cornwall, Avon and Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, British Transport Police and the South West Regional Organised Crime Hernandez, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, said the crackdown was about taking "street level dealers out of action". Cash and drugs seized Drugs including crack, cocaine, heroin and cannabis were seized along with nearly £60,000 in cash, said police. A number of phones, suspected to have been used to coordinate county lines drug deals, were also seized and 41 arrests were Hernandez said the operations were important in tackling organised crimes gangs who see the south west as a soft touch."We have been doing this for a couple of years now and have got a bit of a battle rhythm going on," Ms Hernandez added."One of the challenges that we face is that we have got a lot of people who are also being exploited, and we need to go and intervene in their lives as well. " As well as carrying out raids across Devon and Cornwall, police also took sniffer dog patrols to Torquay train station to try and intercept suspected county lines traffickers as they Scorpion 12 also involved officers going into neighbourhoods to visit people believed to be vulnerable to being exploited by the drugs gangs.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Seven new night bus routes introduced for Devon and Cornwall
Seven new routes have been added to the night bus service across the South Saturday night/Sunday morning service, set up by the police and supported by local councils, was first trialled during Christmas night bus service, provided by Stagecoach in Devon and First Bus in Newquay, would operate on Saturdays "in a bid to reduce drink and drug-related incidents", Devon and Cornwall Police routes in Plymouth and Exeter between 31 May and 31 December will be introduced alongside a longer Newquay service running until 6 September. 'Fantastic boost' Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said its use could become a "a mainstay of having a night out".She said: "The extension of the night bus service to include seven new routes will be a fantastic boost to our evening and night-time economy, encouraging residents and visitors alike to relax and enjoy socialising in Exeter, Plymouth, Newquay, Torbay and north Devon without worrying about the expense of a taxi, or having a designated driver."Night buses in Devon and Cornwall have been proven to be a great success, reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and making people feel safer." Insp Nathan Johnson, from the Exeter Neighbourhood Team, said: "Exeter is a safe city, although like other towns and cities, it has its challenges. "By acknowledging these issues and working in partnership, we can identify the best solutions for our community."The data from previous night buses in other areas in the force suggest we will see a drop in drink-driving and anti-social behaviour and I welcome its introduction into Exeter."Steve Johnson, Newquay sector inspector, said when the night bus service was provided in summer 2024 they saw a drop in crime and anti-social behaviour.
BBC News
11-04-2025
- BBC News
More Devon and Cornwall officers on the beat thanks to funding
More police officers will be on the beat in Devon and Cornwall after a £4.7m grant from the Home grant meant 45 more police officers would be deployed into neighbourhood police teams, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly also means 55 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will be recruited, as well as 10 special constable and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said the funding was "fantastic news". Hernandez said increased policing was "proven to improve confidence and reduce crime".The funding forms parts of the government's Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee - which has made £200m available to police forces nationally in 2025/2026 to support the increase of neighbourhood officers in years to come. Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said neighbourhood policing was at the centre of how the force supported said: "We will ensure these 110 officers and staff respond to what our communities need and have been telling us. "They will be visible and accessible within our villages, towns and cities tackling antisocial behaviour and local crime."The neighbourhood policing grant is in addition to £1m funding from the Home Office to deliver hotspot policing in Devon and Cornwall for a second 2024-2025, the project delivered more than 22,000 hours of foot patrols by police and local authority street marshals, the OPCC said.
