In West Yorkshire, door staff are to help deter drug use in Wakefield night spots. Police officers from Wakefield Central NPT have now launched Operation Nightsafe in venues across the town centre, which will see door staff begin checking revellers, where appropriate, for drugs as a condition of entry.
Staff have now been trained by their employers to take part in the new scheme and will use discretion to check ID and check for drugs when appropriate. If staff discover illegal substances or fake IDs they will contact local police, there and then, and ask them to investigate.
Offenders caught with drugs will be dealt with and referred to the Turning Point scheme showing the harm controlled drugs cause.
Police hope the scheme will provide an extra deterrent, without requiring officers to conduct the searches themselves, so they can spend their time dealing with more serious violence or disorder.
Posters are now being distributed across pubs and clubs to promote the scheme and make it clear that those tempted to take substances into premises should expect to be challenged.
Officers work with a number of venues in the town centre to help promote safer nights out. Recent examples have included a safe drinking scheme in partnership with Spectrum Community Health and the Ben Manning Music Foundation in which venues held promotions on soft drinks
Insp Richard Close of Wakefield Central NPT, said: “We have built strong relationships with Wakefield’s licensed venues and this scheme is a great example of how they are working with us to help improve safety on their own premises.
“Wakefield certainly does not have issues with drugs consumption over and above any similar sized metropolitan centre but this initiative should help us very much drive the message home that it will not be tolerated, by the Police or venues.”
PC Chris Raby of Wakefield Central NPT, who has been involved in setting up the initiative, said: “We have collaborated closely with local venues and door staff to launch this drugs misuse prevention initiative and welcome the support of all involved.
“We will of course attend when appropriate and required but what this scheme does is provide an extra level of deterrence which is supported by us while keeping our staff free to patrol.”
