PRESTON Police are taking part in a novel initiative to tackle crime in the town's hotspots - by making door-to-door enquiries to law-abiding residents.

Operation Dividend had the best possible start with 20 arrests and heroin with a street value of £80,000 recovered in its first week.

Officers raided a number of addresses in dawn raids (pictued).

Door-to-door calls are normally only used by police on major investigations, but, according to Chief Inspector Bob Helm, calls to people who normally wouldn't contact the police, have proved more than worthwhile. He said: "The operation involves us visiting decent, law-abiding residents, in target areas, to find out where they think the problems lie. "We know where the crimes are taking place and this is about finding out from locals who is behind them, to restore some quality of life in the communities.

"One of the pleasing aspects is that while we made arrests for drugs offences, we also arrested people for burglaries, after finding goods in their houses.

A squad of around 18 officers has been assembled for the operation, and all were involved in the door-to-door calls of the first week. The remaining weeks of the operation will be taken up by high-visibility patrols in various areas, more home visits and action on the information obtained.

Areas targeted include Fishwick, Brookfield, Deepdale, Avenham, Frenchwood and St Matthews. Around 2,000 houses will be visited during the operation.

Mr Helm said: "Because we are visiting every house in some streets, people giving us information are as good as anonymous. On one street, as we approached a house, residents' reactions grew from 'no problems' to 'do something before there is real trouble'. It's like a big arrow pointing to the offenders. We want to restore confidence back into what we are about."

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