Top cop calls for more sniffer dogs after rise in cocaine-fuelled football disorder The rise in disorder at football games is connected to the increased prevalence of cocaine use inside stadiums, the UK’s national lead on football policing has said - as he encouraged greater use of detection dogs at grounds. The Independent reported a dramatic 45% rise in disorder at football stadiums over the past two seasons, with overall incidents, cases of serious disorder and assaults on stewards all on the rise. Breach of segregation lines offences were up 14% last season, whilst there have been high-profile incidents of fans running onto the pitch to confront players at Hibernian, Arsenal and Birmingham City. In an interview with The Independent, Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs’ Council football policing lead, said this spate of pitch incursions were part of a “deteriorating situation in terms of disorder”, and fears that British football fans are “going back rapidly in terms of disorder”. Overall disorder incidents jumped 36% in the 2016-17 season and increased again last year. In the Championship there was a 13% increase in disorder and 24% increase in serious disorder last season. According to the publication, DCC Roberts said the rise in disorder is connected to the steady rise of cocaine consumption in the UK. “It is one of those things that you can only identify if you arrest someone, test them and then prove possession,” DCC Roberts said. “But we know that at one recent game, a force conducted a specific operation and arrested 15 people for possession at one game. That shows that it is happening.” “Last year there was a 10% increase in arrests for drug possession, but that depends on people being arrested in general terms “While the reduction in use of cannabis was reduced, arrests for cocaine doubled from 32 to 68. That is a snapshot, but there is enough there to suggest there is clearly a prevalent use of cocaine, and that does affect behaviour at football games. And when people take it, they react in a way that becomes more problematic for police. As we see in the nighttime economy. “The problem is that there is little enthusiasm for the type of searches that would be required to stop fans from taking drugs into stadiums. Especially as police numbers at football matches are already being cut, not least since the Supreme Court ruled last year that police forces, rather than football clubs, were responsible for paying for policing immediately outside grounds on matchdays. “Invasive searches are a non-starter, but greater use of drug detection dogs is a positive option.” Inspector Andy Bridgewater, who runs West Midlands Police Football Unit, said: “There is a really strong correlation today between cocaine use and football-related violence. Last month WMP ran what they described as a “positive, proactive and overt” operation at Coventry City’s game with Burton Albion, outside the hospitality boxes at the Ricoh Arena. Their drug detection dogs found five indications of cocaine possession and three arrests were made. (Source: The Independent) FSOA statement endorses EDD to clamp down on drugs in stadiums The possibility of illegal drugs being taken into stadiums is an issue that is considered by all football clubs, or those responsible for stadium safety and security, during risk assessments ahead of games or events. “Although there is not currently a standard policy in place regarding the detection of drugs in stadiums, The FSOA would advise those responsible for safety and security to consider the use of sniffer dogs, if their detailed risk assessments deem it appropriate to do so. “Among the FSOA’s corporate partners is Event Detection Dogs - part of Wagtails UK - which provides sniffer dogs at turnstiles to reduce the risk of drugs being taken into grounds, as well as pyrotechnics and explosives in the stands. The use of illegal drugs has implications on fan behaviour, which is why we would remind clubs and those responsible for stadium safety and security that assistance is available from companies such as EDD to proactively reduce this risk.”
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