Operation Jemlock Marks its 500th Arrest

24 July 2019

West Yorkshire Police's response to violent crime has seen more than 500 arrests in four months

#OpJemlock started in April when the then Temporary Chief Constable John Robins, QPM, met the Home Secretary in March.

Police forces including West Yorkshire were given greater stop and search powers to tackle the threat of knife crime as well as additional funding. West Yorkshire received £4.02m

#OpJemlock involves officers carrying out proactive, high visibility patrols in key crime areas.

And on Monday and Tuesday the Force carried out a day of action in the Leeds area and the Kirklees area (Leeds on Monday and Kirklees on Tuesday).

Chief Inspector Damon Solley of the Violence Reduction Unit, said:

"An important part of #OpJemlock is making arrests in the communities we serve and I am very proud of the work we have done to arrest so many people.

"This work is continuing as well so we can continue to make a real difference - #OpJemlock officers are going into areas working with locally based colleagues to have the maximum impact possible.

"Equally as important, however, is being out in the communities we serve with a highly visible presence, reassuring members of the community and deterring those involved in criminal activity.

"500 arrests is a figure that speaks for itself - it shows the difference we are making and is testament to hard work and dedication of everyone involved."

Results from the two days of action include:

• Ten people arrested on suspicion of violent crime offences including assault and robbery. 
• Three knives seized.
• Six stop search enquiries in serious violent crime hotspot areas .
• Three vehicles seized.
• Drugs and other assets seized and further intelligence submitted.

And this was in addition to the ongoing work over the weekend with Jemlock officers out in the eastern side of West Yorkshire. Results included:

• More than 60 wraps of suspected class a drugs found.
• Three knives / bladed instruments seized.
•  Cannabis seized.
•  A total of 35 arrests made on suspicion of a variety of offences including possession with intent to supply class a drugs, a knife point robbery and threats to kill.
• 34 stop search enquiries.

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), said: "500 arrests is quite a milestone and sends an unequivocal message that such criminal behaviour in our communities will not be tolerated.

"This robust and intelligence led law enforcement plays a crucial role in the fight against serious violence. I hope our communities are reassured by the results of this operation which is on-going. However, to significantly reduce this type of behaviour in the long-term it will require sustained resources and partnership working to intervene and prevent harm from happening in the first place. We are currently developing a violence reduction approach to address some of these longer term issues.

"My thanks and appreciation to all the officers and staff involved for the very real difference they are making in our communities so far with this campaign which will be ongoing."

#OpJemlock - a case study - proactive arrest enquiries and work throughout the Leeds area on Monday 22 July:

Officers on the van were tasked with finding individuals wanted for a number of offences.

After the early morning briefing by Chief Inspector Damon Solley, the team were out across Leeds visiting a number of addresses, looking for wanted people with a dog handler following just behind.

Mid-way through this work news came through that one of the other teams had stopped a car

Officers then found an item in the car and called through for the firearms officer working #OpJemlock to come and see exactly what it was.

It was a suspected magazine for a gas-powered BB gun and it was taken away to be destroyed.

The driver of the vehicle was reported for driving with no insurance. The car was also seized.

They then continued on making enquiries and found a 17-year-old male wanted on suspicion of breaching his bail conditions. The male appeared before the court the following day.

Also, a 31yr old male was also stopped in his vehicle. Two suspected knives were found. He was charged with possession of a bladed article.