Displacement

Issues of displacement are central to market disruption.

The ideal solution to the existence of a market is its complete closure without a displacement of the market to a neighbouring area. However, markets are persistent and the result of operations can be to displace or change the nature of the market 

It is not inevitable that operations to tackle supply in a particular place result in their relocation in the same form to a nearby location.

The nature of the supply operation that is displaced may have changed substantially. For example the personnel involved, the methods they apply to enforce their operation, their clientele, the visibility of their sales, their targeting of certain groups, their linkage to sex work and handling stolen goods, their use of guns, the new site may be less used or itself open to closure interventions and so on.

Even though there may be elements of relocation, it is by no means the case that the relocated or displaced activity has as many negative aspects as that which was displaced.

If there is a risk of market displacement to a bordering Police command area or CDRP, it is essential that there is consultation with neighbouring areas and co-operation in handling any displacement effects.

Any careful appraisal of the impact of market operations should attempt to consider the relative displacement issues.