Police must redouble efforts to tackle drugs scourge: Blunkett

Police chiefs need to renew efforts to tackle the havoc caused in communities by drugs, the Home Secretary David Blunkett is expected to tell police chiefs today.

In a speech to the Association of Chief Police Officers' (ACPO) annual conference in Birmingham, Mr Blunkett will also stress the importance of "effective leadership" a key component to police reforms.

Speaking ahead of his speech, Mr Blunkett said that communities expected more to be done on the issue as "drugs tear families apart and create dysfunctional communities".

He added: "I am calling on police chiefs today to lead from the front and redouble efforts to ensure these measures and resources are being used to the greatest effect so together we can drive drugs out of our communities."

Mr Blunkett said that leadership was crucial to progress and that further reform remained "essential" to meet the "ever more complex challenges of policing in the twenty first century".

"In order to achieve this, we need strong leadership at every level - no more fear of failure or failure because of fear," he said.

"Police reform is not a slogan - it is an imperative. No institution, be it a private business, voluntary association or public service, can be immune to the changes in British society. By working together, I am confident that we will be able to seize the opportunity and create a police service that is efficient, effective and accountable to the people it serves."

Mr Blunkett also highlighted the importance of modernising the police workforce to ensure "the right people are in the right jobs and officers are freed up to do the job they were trained to do".

Mr Blunkett hailed also initiatives such as the Criminal Justice Interventions Programme which targets offenders committing crimes to fund their drug habit. The scheme is being supported by £447 million in funding over three years.

(gmcg)