Police Constable Jake Peck, who joined Humberside Police in 2021 via Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme, helped uncover two cannabis farms in his hometown of Grimsby, seizing over £120k worth of illegal drugs. 

Jake was picked out of thousands of applicants to join the two-year programme which recruits, trains, and develops outstanding graduates to become neighbourhood police officers and leaders on the policing frontline. Here he tells us more about how ‘Humber Talking’ and his front-footed community engagement has helped tackle organised crime in his neighbourhood. 

Police Constable Jake Peck: 

“As part of our day-to-day duties as neighbourhood police officers, we spend a lot of our time on the beat, approaching members of the community to gather intel and hear about the problems affecting them. We’ll often go from door to door, having conversations with residents as part of ‘Humber Talking’, an initiative set up by Humberside Police to hear the concerns of every household in the region. 

“In late December, I received intel from a member of the community whilst patrolling in my ward. They informed us they had noticed a house with a broken gate and smashed back door that morning, and so my colleague from the Grimsby East Neighbourhood Policing Team and I immediately went to investigate. 

“We discovered a cannabis farm worth an estimated £80k, unattended and largely unharvested. We immediately seized the drugs – which have now been destroyed – and secured the property. 

“Only weeks later, I received another tip-off from a resident. A few days prior they had witnessed a suspicious delivery taking place outside a residential property in the early hours of the morning and hadn’t seen anyone entering or leaving the premises since. After gathering further intel from other locals, we investigated the residence and discovered a cannabis farm containing £40-50k worth of illegal drugs, which we seized and destroyed.  

“Listening and talking to members of the community is vital for effective neighbourhood policing. When residents have increased confidence in their police service, they are more likely to come forward with intelligence and seek support, and we are able to better understand and address the issues affecting them. In these two cases, thanks to the community relationships we had built, we were able to uncover the cannabis farms and prevent thousands of pounds worth of illegal drugs from hitting the streets. As a neighbourhood police officer, I always aim to be proactive with community engagement as it often leads to positive outcomes like these on the issues that matter most. 

 “Grimsby is my hometown and it’s a huge privilege to be a police officer here. After joining Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme, I was lucky enough to be placed supporting the communities I’ve been a part of since I was a child. I joined the programme because I wanted to make a positive difference to my hometown, by protecting those most in need and tackling crime and anti-social behaviour. It’s brilliant to see the impact I’ve already been able to make in just a short space of time. I aim to give my 100% to everything I do as a neighbourhood police officer, helping to make Grimsby a safer and better place to live.” 

Police Sergeant Ruby Raynor said: “The excellent work carried out by PC Peck using information from members of the community to disrupt drugs activity is a prime example of what can be achieved when officers are embedded within their communities and a relationship of trust and confidence is built. 

“PC Peck has displayed that by acting upon information given by members of the public and taking a proactive approach, our communities feel that they can rely on their local Neighbourhood Policing Team to make a real difference.  We want to assure the community that when they speak to us, we will listen and act upon the information supplied.”