More than 460 people have been arrested, 2,300 roadside tests carried out and 120 stolen vehicles recovered during the first six months of our new Road Crime Team (RCT).

They took to the roads in Staffordshire for the first time on 1 October last year and have been using specialist technology and resources to go after those causing harm and committing crime.

In this time, they’ve been able to work proactively on a 24/7 basis to arrest 467 people suspected of committing offences on the roads, as well as carrying out 2,392 drug and drink tests, seizing 124 stolen vehicles, issuing 3,462 traffic tickets, stopping 278 drivers and seizing £2,928,000-worth of criminal assets.

We put specialist officers in the road crime team and changed to a one-unit approach to respond more quickly to calls from the public and to work collaboratively with our partners.

The RCT have made our roads safer by taking robust action against a number of people putting other’s lives at risk and using our roads to commit crime. They stopped one man in December last year who drove at speeds of 140mph on the hard shoulder of the M6. He ended up getting jailed for 24 weeks.

Just eight days after they hit the roads, they also found £250,000-worth of class A drugs in a routine traffic stop on the M6 and arrested a woman.

Multiple pursuits of stolen vehicles have also taken place across the county where suspects have been arrested and are being dealt with as part of ongoing investigations.

Chief Inspector Scott McGrath, from RCT, said: “We’ve been quick out the blocks and have carried out a number of significant arrests and operations to make our roads safer across Staffordshire in these last six months.

“Officers in this team are working hard every single day on a proactive basis to investigate crime, safeguard road users and minimise harm to local communities with our partners.

“We want to build on these successes and continue working hard to make sure those who commit offences on our roads or put others at risk of harm are pursued relentlessly.”