Drugs
The Drugs Branch aims to arrest people dealing drugs which are illegal, such as heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamine and cannabis.
They aim to track down drug dealers rather than the people who have bought the drugs. Due to the tactics the dealers employ Drugs Branch operations can last for weeks or even months before they can collate the evidence to arrest the dealers or raid suspects’ premises to find where the drugs are kept.
Force Drugs Co-ordinator
The main responsibilities of this role are to co-ordinate alcohol, drug and other substance misuse related matters across the Force area which includes information gathering, liaising with internal and external partners, consultancy, education and prevention activities and also strategy and policy work.
The drugs co-ordinator works very closely with alcohol and drugs partnerships and voluntary/statutory organisations throughout Tayside and fully supports measures designed to reduce the harm that substance misuse causes not only to the user but also to families and the wider communities.
Reducing Harm
Reducing harm is a term that defines policies, programmes, services and actions that work to reduce the health, social and economic harms to individuals, communities and society that are associated with the use of drugs.
Working with health and treatment partners, Tayside Police fully supports measures designed to reduce the harm that drug misuse causes to drugs users themselves, their families and communities.
Needle Exchange
Intravenous drug users can contract blood borne viruses including HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C if they share injecting equipment or injecting paraphernalia. The prevalence of Hepatitis C, in particular, is a serious concern for injecting drug using populations in Scotland.
Since 2002, Tayside Police have had Needle Exchange Services within all 3 of their Custody Suite areas (Dundee, Perth and Arbroath) which is funded by NHS Tayside and packs provided by NHS Tayside Harm Reduction Service.
By giving drug users clean injecting equipment we are aiming to make sure that they use drugs in a way that minimises the risk to their health. By giving them safe disposal bins we are encouraging drug users to dispose of their equipment safely and therefore minimising the problems relating to inappropriately discarded needles and syringes.
It is also important to remember that equipment packs contain information on drug services and support available to drug users in Tayside. This links in with other initiatives, such as Arrest Referral, aiming to get drug users into appropriate treatment services as early as possible. Research evidence indicates that the earlier drug users access services the better the outcomes are.
Inter Agency Working
Officers work closely with many agencies and participate in joint operations with others involved in the intelligence and enforcement sphere. Close links are maintained with our uniform and CID colleagues and they are assisted with drug investigations as and when required.
Alcohol And Drug Partnerships (ADPs)
Alcohol & Drug Partnerships (ADPs) will be set up for every local council area to transform the provision of services to tackle substance misuse.
Replacing the current model of alcohol & drug action teams, they will be brought into the community planning process for each local authority area, including decision-making and accountability systems such as Single Outcome Agreements and NHS performance management.
Each ADP will develop and implement a local alcohol and drugs strategy to reduce the numbers of people with substance misuse problems. The strategies will ensure all relevant partners play their part, better identify local needs and ensure investment is focused on achieving agreed outcomes.
Get in Touch
If you have any information about drugs or drug dealing activity in the Tayside area you can leave a recorded message on the Tayside Police Drugs Hotline – 01382 201444.
You can also click here to visit the Crimestoppers website http://www.crimestoppersscotland-uk.org/
