PCD 1416 Operation Yamata Uplift & Grant Variation

PCD 1416 Operation Yamata Uplift & Grant Variation

This paper seeks approval to accept further Home Office grant funding of up to £3,700,000 to support Operation Yamata to combat intra-London drugs supply networks. An initial grant of £4,300,000 was previously approved for this operation. The additional grant will enable the funding of an additional seven operational teams for the period October 2022 to March 2023. 

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Accept the Home Office funding grant of £3,700,000 to undertake a range of activities to combat intra-London drugs supply networks including high harm gangs, who are responsible for serious violence & homicide in London, thereby reducing violence in the capital. 

1. Introduction and background  

1. This paper seeks approval to accept additional grant funding to extend the current Operation Yamata to address intra-London drug supply. Home office funding for Operation Yamata was approved by MOPAC in October 2022 – see PCD1217.  

2. Issues for consideration 

1. Analysis of offenders prosecuted for county lines offences has demonstrated clear and tangible links between drug supply and the commission of acts of violence. Through relentless pursuit of those engaged in the underpinning criminality of drug supply, Operation Yamata aims to achieve both a reduction and lasting impact on the level of violence offences on the streets of the capital. 

2. This proposal will extend Operation Yamata, focussing on internal drug supply within the capital. The additional Home Office grant will enable the creation of a further seven operational Operation Yamata teams for the period October 2022 to March 2023. 

3. The locations of the additional seven teams are 

• Central South (Lambeth and Southwark) 

• West Area (Hillingdon, Ealing and Hounslow) 

• Central North (Camden and Islington) 

4. The project will work closely with the Home Office Project Adder initiative to achieve its overarching aims of reducing drug-related death, drug-related offending and the prevalence of drug use. The two projects will work in partnership to deliver an holistic approach to the harm caused by the use of controlled drugs by simultaneously bringing to justice those involved in the supply of drugs as well as undertaking intervention work to reduce the demand by diverting drug users away from substance misuse. 

3. Financial Comments  

1. This paper seeks approval to accept grant funding of up to £3,700,000 to fund the costs of sixty-six officers, and seven staff, overtime, equipment and training. 

2. The MPS assure that should additional funding not be forthcoming beyond FY22/23 officers will be redeployed across Frontline Policing in this event, taking with them skills and experience that can be deployed elsewhere in the organisation in tackling MPS priorities. 

4. Legal Comments 

1. The proposed acceptance by MOPAC of the grant funding is permitted under Schedule 3, Paragraph 7 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. 

2. Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve all bids for grant funding made and all offers made of grant funding. 

5. Commercial Issues  

1. The MPS assure that any purchases funded by this grant will be procured by way of MOPAC approved compliant procurement routes. 

6. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.   

2. The MPS assure that a full Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) was completed for Operation Yamata in August 2022. 

7. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 

2. The MPS assure that an equality screening exercise was carried out which identified no negative impact towards protected and non-protected characteristic groups.  The MPS investigative techniques for Operation Yamata mirror those utilised by Operation Orochi, which has been assessed in 2019 and again in 2022, concluding no requirement for a full EIA.  The MPS note that the project will contribute towards the ‘Narrow social, economic and health inequalities’ pillar of the London Anchor Institutions Charter. The supply of drugs is known to disproportionately impact on deprived sections of society, with Class A addiction being significantly more prevalent in areas with high levels of social deprivation, and lack of opportunity in these areas can also result in young people being drawn into a life of crime.  

8. Background/supporting papers 

• Appendix 1 MPS Report - Operation Yamata Uplift and Grant Variation