A model for a drug supply (availability) steering group

The need for interagency ownership of drug supply control at DAT level

Drug supply at the local level is addressed by actions under both Aims 3 and 4 of the national drug strategy. Partners in the DAT can help[ reduce the impact of markets. Therefore Police need to engage with partners in helping plan strategic action against drug markets.

However the oversight and management of activity to control supply has in some cases been conducted by the police largely to one side of broader DAT or Crime and Disorder partnership direction. Where Police have reported to DATs or CDRPs in relation to activity under this theme, reporting has frequently consisted of the supply of information from the Police specialist teams on such matters as drugs seized and offenders prosecuted. There has been little attempt at sharing responsibility for the availability agenda across a broader range of agencies. This is partly because some Police feel that partners can play very little role, and where they do, they need to be excluded for reasons of operational integrity. It is also partly because some activity by Police forces is conducted by specialist serious crime teams operating across BCU boundaries, rather than officers under the direction of BCU commanders.

DATs are now expected to play a key role in overseeing action to tackle supply, utilising the skills and resources available to their members and partners.

In addition, increasingly, the issue of supply at the local level is being seen as a serious impediment to the achievement of regeneration programmes for the most deprived areas and effective tackling of social exclusion. There remains a major need to incorporate action to control supply within larger area oriented perspectives across the whole social dimension and to ensure that action to disrupt supply is connected actively to regeneration strategy.

This strategic engagement is entirely compatible with tasking and co-ordination processes set out in the NIM.