Another one that looks a tad gimmicky.
Maybe if all these people involved spent more time on their core function then that would do more good than fannying around getting the trade to do it for them...
Police operation at Stansted Airport to educate taxi drivers on signs of county lines child exploitationhttps://www.bishopsstortfordindependent ... i-9357925/
Image: Bishop's Stortford IndependentA police operation to crack down on child exploitation saw Essex officers hand out information to more than 200 taxi drivers and passengers at Stansted Airport.Safeguarding officers from Operation Raptor descended on the airport on Monday (March 18). They stopped 178 taxis and handed out advice leaflets.
The officers worked alongside colleagues from Stansted Airport’s community policing team and Chelmsford City Council’s community safety officers at a vehicle checkpoint on the way into the airport.
They gave out 221 business card-sized QR codes from the
Children’s Society’s Look Closer campaign that contain information about exploitation and tell people what to do if they spot someone who concerns them.
County lines drug dealers are known to groom youngsters by offering money or gifts and then force them to courier drugs and cash to unfamiliar places in other parts of the country via taxis or public transport.
The work at Stansted was the latest deployment of Operation Bumble, which began in October 2022 to highlight the signs of child exploitation. The team has also been active in Harlow, Braintree, Colchester, Southend and Grays.
Image: Bishop's Stortford IndependentDet Sgt Mark Ghosh, who co-ordinates Bumble, said: “The main intention was to educate drivers about county lines. They need to be aware that children using taxis could be victims of exploitation.
“Previously, they told us they lacked the knowledge and confidence about who to report to. The positive sign is that now, drivers are showing us they’re keeping the information in their cars and know the signs to look for.
“Some were concerned that they wouldn’t be anonymous so we’re addressing that by directing them to the Children’s Society or Crimestoppers if that makes them feel more comfortable.”
Alongside proactive work in the community, the team has also been training businesses to spot and report exploitation, including a recent session for restaurant chain Nando’s delivered by the serious violence unit’s prevent officer.
“The more people know about exploitation, the more we can do to safeguard victims,” added DS Ghosh. “If a child is being exploited, they may be carrying more than one mobile phone or have a large amount of receipts or cash and can’t explain why they have it in their possession.
“They may be a timid child travelling on their own or, alternatively, confrontational or aggressive because they are scared.
“They may appear out of place and may not know exactly where they’re going – they just know a general area.
“If this is the case, we’re asking people to contact us or our partners so we’ve got a chance to safeguard these individuals as they may need our help.”
If you are concerned about a child and think it’s an emergency, call 999. If it’s not an emergency, call 101. To make an anonymous report, contact independent charity Crimestoppers by visiting its website or by calling 0800 555111.
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