Extension to “Tough Choices” drug testing programme for violence and public order offences in Newport.
In an extension to the ‘Tough Choices’ programme, which aims to reduce offending by drug users by forcing them to choose between drug treatment and assessment or punishment by the courts, Gwent Police is now one of a number of police forces in Wales and England that will be trialing the testing of people arrested for violent crime and public order offences for the presence of Class A drugs.
Tough Choices, which is an expansion of the Drug Intervention Programme, was introduced in April 2009 and has previously enabled the testing of people suspected of drugs offences or other trigger offences such as acquisitive crime on arrest. Gwent Police was the first Welsh force to carry out the testing last year. Those who fail to take the test are charged with failure/ refusal to provide a sample for a Class A drug and are placed before the court.
During February and March, anyone over 18 years who is arrested for a wide variety of offences related to violence and public order in Newport will be screened whilst in custody. If they have any history of using, or being suspected of using, heroin, cocaine or similar substances they be required to take a test to see if these drugs are present in their systems. Anyone who refuses can be charged with a separate offence and will have to appear in court . Those testing positive will be seen and assessed by a Drugs Referral Worker, either whilst they are still in custody or at an appointment after they are released and offered help and encouragement to address their habit.
In 2009, six of police forces in England conducted the same pilot with a result of an average positive test rate of 28% , supporting the widely held belief that a significant number of assaults and crimes of aggression are committed by individuals who have been using Class A drugs.
Chief Inspector Ruth Price, Gwent Police Criminal Justice Department, said:
“Violent crimes and acts of public disorder are not usually pre-meditated and are often spontaneous and fuelled by intoxication either through alcohol or drugs. The consequences can be extreme with victims suffering serious injuries and trauma and the offenders finding themselves facing prison, job loss and separation from their families.”
“By collecting evidence that certain drugs are linked to aggression and loss of control we can take a further step to making communities and families safer and ensure that the people committing such crimes are made to acknowledge and deal with the causes of their violent behaviour.”
