大象传媒

After nine months of planning and investigation into county lines drug dealing in Somerset, it's strike day. The aim is to arrest 50 drug dealers in Weston-super-Mare.

03:30hrs

The alarm clock noise I have been awake, waiting for; no snooze button today.

04:00hrs

Driving to work, mentally working out my briefing at Express Park, Bridgwater.

04:30hrs

Is it too early for a bacon sandwich? Nervous tension; I hope this job lands well today – 18 months' work on the line.

05:00hrs

Brief the teams: 100 officers including the chief constable.

This is the first of three planned strike days to arrest 50 drug dealers across the counties of Somerset and North Somerset. The aim is to execute 10 simultaneous drugs warrants. All the police entry teams are sat in lines for the briefing, arrest packages have been meticulously prepared by the investigation team, photographs of all the wanted across the wall of the briefing room.

After the briefing all the entry teams head for their targets.

06:00hrs

Sat in the control room, waiting for the strikes to start... the police radio comes alive, doors being smashed across the counties. Fingers crossed our intelligence on current address locations is good.

06:15hrs

Eight prisoners so far heading towards custody, no injuries for any officers or prisoners - a good start.

08:00hrs

Brief the investigation teams who will be dedicated to operation today to interview the prisoners.

09:30hrs

More prisoners being booked into custody, the first wave of warrants are complete, this is looking great.

I now have to decide whether we have the capacity to carry out a second wave of warrants? This will impact the policing daily business and other demands, it will impact on the courts and the prisons, it will also impact on other agencies including local authorities, social services, drug workers.

The momentum is with us and we have made provisional plans for significant numbers. Decision made – let's roll with the momentum and continue to fill the cells.

10:00hrs

Solicitors arriving in custody and suspect interviews starting to take place.

10:15hrs

Police entry teams now executing more warrants as they become available.

10:30hrs

Chat with the two officers dedicated to booking in seized property from the search teams; they have a queue of officers carrying exhibit bags with drugs, weapons and cash. Happy days.

11:00hrs

Brief the chief executive from the local authority.

11:15hrs

Lift the media ban, update the local uniformed police commanders who upload Facebook live updates.

12:00hrs

Receive a call from the custody unit. They are getting concerned re the number of prisoners arriving and their capacity to deal. Empathy provided but they are asked to problem solve their capacity.

14:00hrs

Last of the day's warrants completed.

14:30hrs

Now the real work is in full swing: lots of activity within the custody unit, prisoners being interviewed, solicitors being briefed.

15:30hrs

Custody is now full for the first time since the station opened three years ago: 38 prisoners. The system is being tested to the limit, custody staff from across the force drafted in to assist.

16:00hrs

Working hard to ensure we have all the evidence from the entry/search teams, need to get these teams off duty before the operational budget gets impacted by overtime.

17:00hrs

All the early starters gone home with the exception of my operation team who started at 03:00hrs.

20:00hrs

Embroiled in a decision regarding releasing one of the charged prisoners on bail rather than remanded for court; I'm concerned about the prisoner being a flight risk. An hour of my life is spent problem solving this one.

21:00hrs

Updates from the Op Hazel team: all prisoners we had packages for are now charged and remanded to court, paperwork still being pulled together.

22:00hrs

Pizza delivery for the team, eat pizza whilst organising the order of events for strike day two (briefing in seven hours).

23:00hrs

Prison files all complete, team happy, a fantastic result. Leave to grab a few hours' sleep before starting again.

23:30hrs

Bottle of beer out of the fridge before bed.

03:30hrs

Alarm clock – ready, strike day two – repeat.