Clear, Hold, Build
Clear, Hold, Build is an innovative framework, developed by the Home Office, to help police forces tackle serious and organised crime.
It reclaims and rebuilds neighbourhoods affected by organised crime, makes areas safer and increases public confidence in the police and partner agencies.
In Suffolk, the first two Clear, Hold, Build projects were launched in 2024:
In Mid 2023 drug related crimes and associated violence and anti-social behaviour in the town of Felixstowe appeared to rise in comparison to the historic baseline. An increase in police intelligence reports were observed during the period of May- July of that year and officers identified an opportunity to apply additional resources and tactics to investigate these incidents and reduce offending. A period of police-led Clear activity following the 12 months between August 2023 and July 2024, which saw the execution of over 15 search warrants, 45 arrests and dozens of drug and cash seizures.
The programme has been conducted in partnership with local authorities, educational authorities and numerous other key partners. This has led to the formation of three project groups operating within a tactical and strategic framework. Each group is focussed on a series of thematic areas including environmental improvements, diversion activity and educational planning and capability development.
As we work through the Hold and Build phases of the project, each group is dedicated to the strategic aims of the Future Felixstowe project which are to:
1 - Improve the service provision to the most vulnerable groups.
2 – Improve and enhance the environment in public spaces,
3 – Make Felixstowe hostile to criminality and ASB.
Newmarket Together is a new initiative in the town. This initiative is a three-step plan which sees organised criminals and their associates cleared from an area through relentless multi-agency enforcement activity. The area is then held, stabilised and enhanced through high visibility police patrols, assistance from partner agencies and community support.
The enforcement activity which focuses on organised drugs supply and associated exploitation has been taking place since 1 September 2024.
Newmarket Together is different from what police and partners has done before because it has a much greater focus on the medium and long term. Police work with partners to ensure problems caused by crime and a perceived lack of support do not simply start again.
Ipswich's first Clear Hold Build initiative, Maple Together, focuses on the Gipping and Westgate wards in the town with efforts starting in March 2025. This encompasses an area west of the town centre, bordered by Norwich Road and Bramford Road in the north, Yarmouth Road in the west and West End Road in the South.
Superintendent Andy Martin said: “The aim is to rid our streets of serious and organised crime and leave more resilient communities as a result. We know what damage can be done to an area by a relatively small number of criminals, and the effects anti-social behaviour, violence and the supply of drugs have on a community.”
The project is being run jointly by police and partners. Suffolk Constabulary and Ipswich Borough Council are jointly leading the tactic, supported by other key agencies.
Find out more about our Clear, Hold, Build projects
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Five arrested during operation targeting fraudulent documents on town’s roads
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Ipswich - Clear Hold Build partnership event brings together 28 organisations and authorities
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Superintendent wants to see ‘sustained change’ as Clear Hold Build comes to Ipswich
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Clear, Hold, Build – Home Office initiative launched in Felixstowe to tackle drugs, violence and anti-social behaviour
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Clear, Hold, Build – Home Office initiative to tackle drugs, violence and anti-social behaviour in Felixstowe progresses
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Newmarket – initiative to locate and root out criminal activity
What is Clear, Hold, Build?
Clear, Hold, Build is a three-step plan which sees organised criminals and their associates cleared from an area through relentless pursuit activity.
The area is then held and stabilised through high visibility police patrols, assistance from partner agencies and community support.
With support from key stakeholders, residents will be equipped and empowered to build a strong and resilient community, free from crime and exploitation.
The three-step plan in more detail:
Interventions, in form of arrests and relentless disruption, which target organised crime group members, their networks, business interests, criminality and spheres of influence. The police will use all powers and levers to impede their ability to operate. This creates safer spaces to begin restoring community confidence.
Interventions, counter measures and contingency plans to consolidate and stabilise the initial clear phase. This stops the remaining or other organised crime group members from capitalising on the vacuum created. It improves community confidence by ensuring spaces remain safe. Visible neighbourhood policing in hotspot areas provides continuing reassurance that police are still present.
A single, whole-system approach to delivering community-empowered interventions that tackle drivers of crime, exploitation of vulnerabilities and geographic places where crime occurs. This improves living, working and recreational environment in the community for residents. It empowers them to work with stakeholders to generate resilience and build a safer community.
National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Serious and Organised Crime, Local Programme lead, Detective Superintendent Andy Farrell, said:
“The national roll-out of Clear, Hold, Build will help empower communities to stand united in the fight against serious and organised crime.
“Areas which have already implemented this initiative have seen successes ranging from dramatic reductions in anti-social behaviour and violent crime to stronger, more enhanced partnerships with key community stakeholders and grass roots organisations.
“Clear, Hold, Build brings this all together. Through police-led disruption, key offenders are targeted and removed, allowing the community to come together and have their say on how to move forward.
“While police play a key role in bringing offenders to justice, partnership work and community cooperation are essential to the success of an area reclaiming its identity and moving forward, free from harm, exploitation and the threat of future criminality.”