Conservative Councillors Shazna Muzammil, Keith McLean, Peter Geary, and Alison Andrew joined Thames Valley Police this week to participate in Operation Drover.
Operation Drover is a Thames Valley Police (TVP) campaign focusing on rural crime, bringing together police resources with local residents, farmers, councillors, and community leaders to tackle issues such as speeding, hare coursing, fly tipping and theft of farm vehicles and equipment in the northern rural areas of Milton Keynes such as Newport Pagnell, Olney, and the surrounding villages.
On the first day of the Operation, the Conservative Councillors alongside TVP officers from across the Borough and further afield, attended reported incidents of stolen vehicles, fly tippers and the search for a suspect who is known to steal farm vehicles and construction plant. Following a visit to the suspect’s last known address the team arrested the person and recovered a car stolen from Northampton in March that had cloned number plates which was an excellent result.
The Operation was also supported by officers from TVP’s and Northamptonshire’s Rural Crime teams, who brought specialist knowledge and skills which greatly supported a very successful operation. Olney Ward Councillor Keith McLean, who has supported previous Op Drovers, said “It was again a great team effort to proactively police the rural areas. Sitting in police vehicles with officers out on patrol we were able to share our local knowledge whilst learning from them the challenges and opportunities they face. I am sure all parties learnt much over the time OP Drover ran and that some bad people will have reconsidered their plans! I look forward to the next iteration of OP Drover.”
Cllr Alison Andrew, ward member for Newport Pagnell North and Hanslope, added
“As a Ward and Parish Councillor I have always been impressed by officers I have dealt with so it was a great privilege to see their world from an operational viewpoint. We are lucky to have such a great team supporting us in the Rural North”
Cllr Shazna Muzammil, Group Leader of MKCC Conservative Group, said: “It was a great opportunity for my Conservative colleagues and I to work alongside and see how our TV colleagues police and tackle issues that matter greatly to our residents in the rural areas. I want to thank Thames Valley Police and Northamptonshire Police for their commitment to Op Drover and encourage all community groups, councillors and residents to continue to engage with TVP on these incidents to ensure we keep the momentum against those who choose to commit such crimes.”
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