Worksop North

Bassetlaw Neighbourhood Policing Priorities: July – September 2026

As the Neighbourhood Policing Inspector for Bassetlaw, I am pleased to share our policing priorities for the next three months. These priorities are guided by our three core pillars of neighbourhood policing:
•Targeted Activity
•Community Engagement
•Problem Solving
Our priorities are informed by a wide range of intelligence and feedback sources, including:
•Feedback from beat surgeries and Safer Neighbourhood Groups
•Community surveys via Notts Alert
•Crime statistics and analytical data
•Input from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
•Partnership feedback and other sources
Neighbourhood policing continues to evolve to meet the needs of our communities. We remain fully committed to tackling all forms of criminality and anti-social behaviour (ASB) across the district.
You may notice that these priorities remain unchanged from the previous quarter. This is a deliberate decision. While we have seen excellent results—including arrests, seizures and prosecutions—I do not believe we have yet achieved the level of impact we expect in these areas. There is more work to be done, and I remain determined to drive further reductions in these crime types.

Priorities
1. Drug Supply
Drug dealing has a significant and far-reaching impact on individuals and communities. It contributes to addiction, increased crime and violence, anti-social behaviour, and the exploitation of vulnerable people. It also fosters an environment of fear and instability, where associated criminality—such as theft, coercion and conflict—often thrives.
In addition, drug activity erodes trust between communities and public services, making collaborative problem-solving more difficult. It places further strain on policing, healthcare and social services, diverting resources from other vital community needs.
Tackling drug supply will always remain a key priority. We will continue to take robust enforcement action against those who deal illegal drugs within Bassetlaw. Community intelligence remains vital in helping us identify and disrupt organised activity.
Operation Legacy, our offender management initiative, continues to target individuals involved in drug-related criminality and ASB.

2. Rural Crime in East Bassetlaw
Rural crime is often underreported but has a profound impact on our communities. Covering over 250 square miles, Bassetlaw’s rural landscape can be exploited by offenders, particularly those travelling from neighbouring counties.
Offences such as crop damage, vehicle and equipment theft, and poaching can be devastating for rural and farming communities. To address this, we have officers specially trained in rural and wildlife crime embedded within our neighbourhood policing teams.

3. Theft of Motor Vehicles
We have seen an increase in motor vehicle theft across Bassetlaw, including cars, motorcycles and plant machinery.
Vehicle theft not only causes financial loss but also significantly affects victims’ daily lives. It impacts their ability to travel to work, take children to school, and attend medical appointments. It raises insurance costs, reduces community confidence, and contributes to wider criminality.
Stolen vehicles are often used in further offences such as burglary, drug supply and dangerous driving, increasing harm and placing additional pressure on emergency services.

August 2026 Update

At the beginning of July 2026, I set priorities for the next three months based on community feedback, partner input, and crime and ASB data. Below is an update on our progress until the end of September 2026.

1. Drug Supply
Tackling drugs remains a central focus. The effects of substance misuse are visible in areas such as Worksop town centre; however, significant progress is being made, and we are seeing tangible results.
Our approach targets both users and dealers.
Those involved in drug dealing will face the strongest possible enforcement action. We will arrest offenders, conduct thorough investigations, and pursue custodial sentences to protect our communities.
I am pleased to report our activity continues at pace, with multiple seizures throughout August, including:
-A 14 year old male stop searched in Worksop found in possession of cannabis. He has been referred to the Youth Justice Service.
-A quantity of cannabis recovered from an address in Harworth. A suspect has been identified and will be interviewed.
-A 36 year old was arrested for drug driving. During a search a quantity of cannabis was located. She has been bailed pending testing.
-A 39 year old was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply. A quantity of drugs have been seized and he has been bailed pending further enquiries
-A 53 year old male was arrested following a stop search in Worksop Town Centre, where a quantity of synthetic cannabinoid was found. He has been charged with possession.
-A 42 year old was arrested in Retford and later charged and remanded to prison for possession of cocaine and further offences

Further drug warrants have been executed in recent weeks, leading to additional arrests and significant seizures. Once we are able to share further information on this work, we certainly will.
Through Operation Legacy, we continue to work with partners—including Probation, Bassetlaw District Council, and drug treatment services—to divert entrenched users into recovery pathways. We are currently working with 10 individuals, with some achieving rehabilitation or ceasing offending behaviour—many for the first time in years.
One our success stories relates to the case of local female who has been entrenched in drug use and criminality for many years. PC Eoin Wilson of the town centre team has worked hard in making time to break down barriers, problem solve offending and has demonstrated exceptional levels of compassion and I am pleased to report over 6 months of being crime free, healthier than ever and engaging with support. We are really proud of individual involved and our PC Wilson, who has show policing is not just about arrests, but problem solving, patience and doing things differently.
Where engagement by those on Op Legacy is not forthcoming, enforcement action continues. We also utilise legal measures such as injunctions and Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs), which carry powers of arrest and potential custodial consequences. Several individuals have already been subject to these measures, with further cases progressing.
This month, yet another court order has been issued, following some further fantastic work by Bassetlaw District Council and officers from the Bassetlaw Neighbourhood Policing Team. Gregory SIMMONITE, 46, has been banned from entering Worksop Town Centre for three years, consuming alcohol in public anywhere in the Bassetlaw district, being under the influence of any illegal substance and acting in, or inciting others to engage in, antisocial behaviour. This order was made following repeated incidents of aggressive behaviour by SIMMONITE and now gives us a power of arrest if any of the strict conditions are breached.

2. Rural Crime in East Bassetlaw
We continue to make progress in tackling rural crime, which is especially critical during peak agricultural periods.
Operation Star, a joint initiative with Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Police, remains a key element of our approach—enabling coordinated action, intelligence sharing and enforcement across borders.
Incidents involving illegal off-road motorcycles and quad bikes are reducing due to proactive measures, including patrols, CCTV, seizures and preventative work. Officers are encouraged to use all available powers to seize vehicles where appropriate.
PC Hollie Marsh has led outstanding work in this area, combining enforcement with problem-solving tactics such as target hardening and community protection measures. Her work has been recognised and shared with colleagues and academic partners as best practice.
Poaching and wildlife crime remain areas of concern. Officers are actively targeting offenders, and we are enhancing our capabilities through additional training, including the use of forensic techniques and drone technology.

3. Theft of Motor Vehicles
We continue to focus on vehicle theft, which remains a significant issue.
The impact on victims extends far beyond financial loss, affecting their independence, daily routines and overall wellbeing. Offenders are often unlicensed, involved in wider criminality, and pose a danger on our roads.
We are proactively sharing crime prevention advice and will be distributing Faraday pouches and security guidance at community engagement events throughout the summer. Some further information can be found here: Police issue key crime prevention advice after increase in motorbike thefts | Nottinghamshire Police and here Police issue advice after spate of keyless car thefts | Nottinghamshire Police
Our teams have worked tirelessly, recovering multiple vehicles, developing intelligence and progressing several investigations.
This month, I have also launched Operation Pernicious, targeting illegal off-road bikes and quad bikes. This initiative will focus on enforcement, education and diversion, addressing both the risks and the wider criminality associated with these vehicles.

Inspector Robert Harrison
Bassetlaw District Commander