A week into the ‘Dob in a Dealer’ campaign in Oxley Local Area Command (LAC), police and Crime Stoppers are urging residents to show their support in stamping out the spread of illicit drugs, NSW Police say.
The Commonwealth-funded campaign is currently taking place within States and Territories across Australia.
In NSW, the campaign is being held in 21 metropolitan and regional LACs over a six-month period between March and September 2016.
It will run in each LAC for two weeks, during which local residents will be urged to help police shut down drug-manufacturing syndicates and arrest drug suppliers by reporting relevant information to Crime Stoppers.
Since the launch of the Oxley LAC campaign last Monday (8 August 2016), local officers have been out in the community distributing information and educating the public on how they can support the campaign.
Oxley Local Area Commander, Acting Superintendent Jeff Budd, urged the community to get behind ‘Dob in a Dealer’ as the campaign continues this week.
"Officers have had our command bus out in the community this week to start conversations with the public, let them know what ‘Dob in a Dealer’ is all about and how they can show their support for this important campaign," A/Supt Budd said.
"This campaign is about targeting the manufacturers and suppliers of ‘ice.’ We want to stop the spread of prohibited drugs at the source, before criminals have the chance to distribute them within our neighbourhoods.
"We know that each time we seize kilos of ‘ice’, we’re preventing thousands of deals from reaching the streets and protecting thousands of people from the impact of this insidious drug," A/Supt Budd said.
"We cannot do this alone however, and that’s where the community comes in. We need you to be our eyes and ears and to let us know if you witness suspicious activity in your local area.
"I therefore urge members of the public to familiarise themselves with the seven signs of a drug house. These include strange odours, diverted electricity, chemical containers and waste, blacked-out windows, hoses and pipes in strange places, extremely bright indoor lighting and vehicles arriving at odd hours," A/Supt Budd said.
"If any homes in your neighbourhood raise suspicion, please come forward. Your call could be the key to shutting down a drug house in our community."
Crime Stoppers NSW CEO, Peter Price, said drugs can have devastating consequences for the whole community, and putting a stop to the flow of drugs requires a whole-of-community response.
"Local residents often hold the key to information that can help reduce crime, and we are asking people who live within Oxley LAC to play an active role and report those people that are bringing harmful drugs into the area," Mr Price said.
"If you have already reported something to Crime Stoppers, we thank you; if you have not and know something, we ask that you let us know immediately.
"By making that one anonymous phone call or online report, you could save not only your community from drugs, but also someone’s life," Mr Price said.
Please find below a schedule of the local area commands involved in the campaign, including their proposed start dates. This schedule is subject to change.
‘Dob in a Dealer’ Community Engagement Calendar
14 March 2016: Redfern
21 March 2016: Orana
28 March 2016: Sydney City
11 April 2016: Castlereagh
11 April 2016: Liverpool
26 April 2016: Campbelltown
2 May 2016: Barwon
9 May 2016: Wollongong
23 May 2016: Richmond
30 May 2016: Shoalhaven
13 June2016: Tweed/Byron
20 June 2016: The Hume
4 July 2016: Coffs/Clarence
13 July 2016: Albury
18 July 2016: Mid North Coast
1 August2016: Wagga Wagga
8 August 2016: Oxley
22 August 2016: Griffith
29 August 2016: Newcastle City
12 September 2016: Canobolas
19 September 2016: Blacktown
Crime Stoppers is focused on gathering information to stop the supply and manufacture of drugs. If you or someone you know is affected by drug use or addiction, please contact support services such as the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on (02) 9361 8000.
