Knife arches, drugs warrants and increased patrols all over Sandwell in police day of activity
It was an intensive day across the six towns of Sandwell for the region's police force as officers of every stripe were deployed to address issues that matter most to residents.
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Officers from every department of West Midlands Police were out in force across Sandwell on Thursday as part of a day of action for a force-wide initiative called Operation Advance.
It meant extra officers on the streets and specialist departments such as roads officers, the dog unit and drones team operating in the borough for 24 hours, focussing on priorities which, for Sandwell, included serious youth violence, anti-social behaviour, theft and county lines operations.
Off-road bikes were taken off the road in Wednesbury and Rowley Regis, while warrants on suspected drug dens were executed, three men were arrested on suspicion of stealing a mobile phone in Cradley Heath and a traffic operation took place in Great Bridge.
In West Bromwich, a knife arch was installed in the bus station and anyone walking through the area was asked to walk under it.
The force said that the operation had been planned long before the recent death of Isaac Brown, who died after being stabbed outside the New Square Shopping Centre on April 7, but said the 15-year-old's death had made the operation even more pertinent.
