Humberside Police: Operation Galaxy explained

The last few months have undoubtedly been some of the most challenging times for everyone across the Humberside force area, with the restrictions changing daily life as we once knew it.

For your police force, it’s been a time to change and adapt, understanding and responding to new demands linked to the restrictions, whilst still managing existing crimes and investigations.

They have also seen a significant reduction in overall crime and as restrictions lift and people start to return to some type of new normality, they plan to ensure that those who commit crime do not easily return to their day jobs in our region.

To this end, they intend to shift their focus from patrols and engaging with those moving about under Covid-19 restrictions to ensuring the Humberside area is a hostile and difficult place for criminals to operate in as the restrictions begin to ease.

Humberside Police Chief Constable, Lee Freeman, explains: “Starting from today, until the end of June, we will be unrelenting in our pursuit of targeting those who bring misery and distress to our communities through our proactive task force – Operation Galaxy.

“We launched Operation Galaxy in October last year and the team have continued to operate throughout the developing situation we have found ourselves in, executing warrants, making arrests and protecting the most vulnerable people in our society.

“For this intensive period of enhanced action across the entire Humberside Force area, the team have been expanded, with much more resource available and dedicated teams from across the whole force deployed to the operation, to tackle a wide array of criminality and ensure we keep the public safe and protect our communities.”

The remit of the team is much broader with specific areas of crime that will be focussed on including burglary, robbery and theft, often referred to as “Serious Acquisitive Crime”, protecting vulnerable people by targeting sexual offenders and perpetrators of domestic abuse and disrupting and dismantling Organised Crime Groups linked to drugs supply and county lines.

The resources across the force who will be involved include, but are not limited to, CID teams, Patrol, NPTs, PVP, Roads Policing, police dogs, firearms, Marine Unit, Major Crime, intelligence and Economic crime units.

CC Freeman continued: “Throughout the lockdown we’ve listened to our communities and carried out numerous operations to make an impact on crime, through arresting outstanding suspects for the abhorrent crime of possession of indecent images of children, dismantling organised crime groups for the supply of drugs, to tackling antisocial behaviour and motorbike offences through Operation Yellowfin and bringing offenders to justice for domestic abuse incidents.

“With an increase in officer numbers over the past three years, we now have 500 more officers, enabling us to carry out more of this work, and with the expanded Operation Galaxy team and the month of intensive action, we have the opportunity to make even more of an impact on crime so we are able to protect our communities and the most vulnerable.

“Officers from your local Neighbourhood Policing Team will be in your community, speaking to you and explaining what actions are being taken in your area, to keep you informed and reassured as to any police presence throughout the five weeks and to talk through any concerns you have. This engagement will always be carried out safely and whilst practising social distancing measures. 

“After the five weeks of intensive action, it doesn’t just end there. This is a change in our approach to reflect that we now have nearly 500 additional officers in the force than in 2017. “

“We are a force on the front foot determined and committed to tackling criminality across the Humberside force area, to ensure you feel safe and protected, and that, as always will be our main priority.”