Proactive Teams Seize Over £1million in Drugs and Stop Search almost 1,000 People in 2024

Officers from Cleveland Police’s Proactive Teams carried out almost 1,000 stop searches and seized more than £1million worth of drugs in 2024.

Cleveland Police’s Proactive Team officers operate across each of the four districts - Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Redcar & Cleveland.

The officers in the Proactive Teams focus on disrupting organised criminals and targeting drug dealers.

The crucial work of the teams includes executing warrants for outstanding suspects, carrying out drugs warrants, seizing weapons, cash drugs, and off-road bikes; and working with partners to carry out house closures resulting from ASB and crime.

In 2024 there were 926 stop searches carried out by the four proactive teams in Cleveland. This proactive approach to utilising stop and search powers has assisted with a reduction in knife crime across Cleveland of 12%.

In Middlesbrough, the team focus their efforts on tackling Class A drug dealers, as this is one of the main drivers of crime and ASB in the area. Sentences for those charged with class A drugs offences have included 4 years and 11 months for 20-year-old Michael Hugill who was sentenced in August 2023 after drug related incidents in North Ormesby, and 33-year-old James Sharp who was sentenced to over four years in custody in December 2024 after being found by Proactive Team officers with class A drugs on Palmer Street.

The team made 301 arrests in 2024, leading to custodial sentences totalling more than 46 years, with further sentencings scheduled. 247 stop searches were carried out.

Stockton Proactive Team made 315 arrests in 2024, many of which were as a result of the 241 stop searches carried out.

Redcar Proactive Team carried out 247 stop searches and made 218 arrests.

Hartlepool Proactive Team made 230 arrests and carried out 250 stop searches.

Chief Superintendent Dave Sutherland, Head of Local Policing, said: “The work of the Proactive Teams is invaluable and central to our Force mission to tackle criminals. They work alongside local neighbourhood policing teams in tackling serious and organised criminals who are causing significant harm within our communities.

“The results that the teams have achieved speak for themselves in terms of the effect they are having on criminality. As a result of prolonged and targeted activity, which is getting results at court, we know this is having a positive impact in our communities – but we are not complacent.

“Street-level drug dealing is something which we know really impacts residents and is something that we are determined to stamp out in order to protect our communities.

“We are committed to listening to law-abiding residents and tackling those criminals who cause harm to the people of Teesside.”

Anyone who may have crime to report can contact Cleveland Police on 101, or contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously either online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling 0800 555 111. Always call 999 in an emergency.