Large amounts of drugs seized, 13,000 emergency calls attended, vulnerable people protected: police achievements in South Devon

Hundreds of police officers work across South Devon, protecting the communities of South Hams, Teignbridge & Torbay. 2024 saw a number of achievements in the efforts to tackle crime, pursue criminals & respond to the public’s reports and calls for help.

Hundreds of police officers work across South Devon, protecting the communities of South Hams, Teignbridge and Torbay. 2024 saw a number of achievements in the police’s efforts to tackle crime, pursue criminals and respond to the public’s reports and calls for help.

Superintendent Hayley Costar, who heads up neighbourhood police teams in South Devon, said: “Our police teams, both on the front line and behind the scenes, do such incredible work to keep the people of South Devon safe. I’m proud of what we were able to achieve last year to make our towns a safer place to live, work and visit – we wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without the support of our partner agencies and the public. This isn’t to say that police get it right all of the time - I hear what our communities are telling us, and I know that there is still more to do. However, it’s been great to reflect on the positive steps we have made so far.

“As we dive into 2025, I want communities to know our commitments; we will be visible on your streets, we will respond quickly when you need our help, we will carry out effective investigations in response to your reports, and we will make sure that victims of crime are provided with the support they need.

“In return, my plea is that you keep reporting crime to us, sharing information about suspected crime and engaging with our officers to tell us your concerns. We are listening, and will we continue to listen. Together we can strive to make South Devon a safer place for all, but we can’t do it alone; you are the eyes and ears in our neighbourhoods when police officers can’t be there. Thank you.”

Nearly 200 proactive arrests made by specialist teams

Alongside the neighbourhood and patrol police officers, there are a number of specialist teams that operate in South Devon, including the Pro-active unit (PAU) and the Neighbourhood Support Team (NST).

The PAU team are responsible for disrupting dangerous drug networks and organised crime. In 2024, they removed over £330,000 worth of drugs from the streets, seized £109,000 of cash earned through criminal activity and arrested 97 people. Part of their work involves safeguarding vulnerable people who may be victims of ‘cuckooing’. Cuckooing is when a person’s address is taken over by a criminal and used to prepare, store or deal drugs. They safeguarded a total of 56 people from organised crime groups (OCGs).

May 2024 saw the introduction of the NST in South Devon. Their team was deployed over seventy times to various neighbourhoods to tackle specific short- and long-term problems affecting local people and businesses. They’ve carried out hundreds of hours of high-visibility patrols, gathering well over a hundred pieces of vital information from the public to support with investigations into drug supply, antisocial behaviour (ASB) and vehicle crime. They arrested almost eighty people, and carried out over sixty stop searches, resulting in the seizure of stolen items and offensive weapons.

Supt Costar commented on their achievements: “It’s clear to see how much of an impact these specialist teams have had on the safety of our communities; actively pursuing those causing harm, deterring criminals from operating in our towns and keeping vulnerable people safe.”

13,000 emergency calls for help

In 2024, police attended over 13,500 emergency calls for help in South Devon, averaging over 1,000 per month. Patrol officers are often the first to attend these calls for assistance.

Supt Costar addresses the importance of their role: “Patrol officers have to be prepared to deal with anything, they never know what situation they’re going to face when they arrive on scene. They have strong skills in handling fast-moving, often hostile situations. They do such incredible work to protect people, putting themselves in harm’s way, to keep the public safe.

“I’m pleased to say that last year, we were arriving quicker on scene to the emergency calls. This has happened as a result of various factors, including changes to our call handling systems, more vehicles, more patrol staff and additional training for officers to be able to drive on blue lights.

“Getting there as fast as possible when you need our help will remain an absolute priority for us. Work to further improve our response times will continue into 2025.”

Work to prevent and deter crime in communities

Over the past year, neighbourhood police teams across South Devon have been working closely in communities and alongside partner agencies to tackle long-term issues, such as shoplifting and antisocial behaviour (ASB).

Supt Costar shares how the team has made a difference this year: “Neighbourhood officers play a different role to patrol teams who respond to emergency 999 calls. They’re usually the officers you see on foot patrol, at community events, and engaging with businesses. Their role is vital in our effort to keep the public safe, pursue criminals and deter people from illegal activity.

“This year, they’ve engaged with countless people, schools and colleges, partnership agencies and businesses, and conducted thousands of hours of high-visibility foot patrols to provide reassurance to communities. It’s hard to put figures to the work they carry out, as much of this falls within the prevention space, but the positive impact of their work is truly felt within communities.”

Specials dedicate over 10,000 hours to support policing

Specials are volunteer police officers. They have the same powers of arrest, but the work they do is completely voluntary. They dedicate 16 hours a week of their own time to provide additional support to police officers. There are currently 24 active Specials in South Devon.

In 2024, they devoted over 10,000 hours of their own time to support the frontline with proactive patrols, operations, arrests and warrants.

“I’d like to recognise the selflessness of the Specials we are lucky enough to have; whilst they usually have regular day-jobs, they choose to dedicate their spare time to support the Force and our aims to keep people safe. They are key in helping us maintain a visible and reassuring presence in local neighbourhoods,” Supt Costar added.

“Reflecting upon 2024, I am incredibly proud of what police teams across South Devon have been able to achieve collectively. Their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to protect our communities shines through in everything they do.”

If you have any information about illegal activity, please report it to Devon & Cornwall Police. To do this, please visit our website or call 101. In an emergency call 999.

Information can also be passed 100% anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111, or via their website.

If you have been affected by crime, please visit victimcare-dc.org to access support services and information on your rights and how to navigate the criminal justice system. You can also call Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111 or Devon and Cornwall Police’s Victim Care Unit on 01392 475900.