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# Police go litter picking amid 'intensified action' against county lines drug gangs
- URL: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/police-go-litter-picking-amid-intensified-action-against-county-lines-drug-gangs/
- Published: 2024-10-15T13:08:09.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-16T15:32:53.000Z
- Description: Ipswich Police launched a joint-litter picking mission with Ipswich Borough Council in Gippeswyk Park today, leaving some to wonder if this is the best use of resources in the fight against serious crime.
- Author: Oliver Rouane-Williams
- Tags: News, Policing, #article, Suffolk Constabulary, Ipswich Borough Council, #Import 2026-03-16 14:46

**The big picture:** The clean-up operation comes during what police recently described as [a "campaign of intensified action" against serious crime in Ipswich](https://www.ipswich.co.uk/tag/a-campaign-of-intensified-action-against-serious-crime-in-ipswich/) to demonstrate their "relentless pursuit of offenders and to make Ipswich a hostile place for criminals who choose to involve themselves in the preparation and selling of illicit substances, use of violence, and exploitation of those most vulnerable within in our community."

**What happened:**

- Officers joined an Ipswich Borough Council community safety officer
- They searched Gippeswyk Park for drug-related litter
- A "few items" were found but it wasn't made clear what those items were
- The team also cleared "a load of smashed glass"

**Why it matters:** While cleansing our public spaces of "drug-related litter" is certainly no bad thing, critics could argue that an under-resourced police force may be able to deploy officers more effectively.

**The bottom line:** The sight of uniformed police officers picking up litter in a park, rather than directly targeting drug dealers or addressing the social issues that fuel drug use, may raise questions about resource allocation and strategy.

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