Nottinghamshire Police’s Operation Cognition increasing awareness of danger of mixing alcohol and cocaine in Newark and across Nottinghamshire

A crime-prevention operation has helped to raise awareness of a toxic combination of drink and drugs, which can increase impulsive, violent, and aggressive behaviour.

The multi-agency crime prevention scheme, Operation Cognition, was launched by Nottinghamshire Police after Newark’s neighbourhood officers received anecdotal information that cocaine use was an increasing issue in the town’s night-time economy.

When alcohol and cocaine are mixed it causes a toxic psychoactive substance to form in the body, known as cocaethylene, which can increase impulsive, violent, and aggressive behaviour.

It can also increase the risk of fatal heart attacks, strokes, and seizures.

Sergeant Rob Harrison, who developed the operation alongside officers from the integrated offender management team, said: “This long-term operation is about awareness — we want people to say that they have heard of cocaethylene.

“Our pink tabards have proved to be a really effective tool for engaging with the public, as it is a great conversation starter early in the evening.

“This is a long-term crime prevention matter and we’ve seen great uptake from the public. If you educate people about the risks of cocaethylene, you can reduce crime.

“It is an unfortunate reality that reasonably healthy people are experiencing health complications or become involved with aggressive and violent behaviour as a result of combining alcohol and cocaine.

“We can prevent this, and protect partners who can be subject to abuse, by raising awareness and ultimately reducing the prevalence of cocaethylene.

“We want to change the behaviour and mindset of future generations, and we look forward to continuing our efforts to reduce harm and make Nottinghamshire a safer place to live and work.”

Preventative work has been done in the night-time economy to educate members of the public about cocaethylene, to offer healthcare support, and to collate data to monitor awareness of the substance.

Plain-clothes officers and community protection staff, joined by clinicians from substance misuse organisations including Nottingham Recovery Network and Change Grow Live, engaged with the public to share the risks of using cocaine and alcohol and, where appropriate, refer people into further support.

It has provided members of the public with a platform to discuss their concerns or drug use with healthcare professionals in confidence, which allowed them to be more open and comfortable.

Officers and public health professionals also handed out leaflets warning of the dangers of combining the two substances and invited members of the public to complete a cocaethylene questionnaire.

This took place through both roving patrols and a static stall in high footfall areas.

The first Operation Cognition patrol took place in December 2022, with engagement events taking place throughout 2023.

The initiative is ongoing, with further patrols set to take place in October and November this year.

The operation’s success in breaking down barriers, challenging stigma, and providing support, has meant the initiative has since been rolled out in Mansfield and Nottingham city centre, and awareness material is to be displayed in Nottingham Forest, Mansfield Town, and Notts County’s football stadiums this season, as well as engagement stalls set to take place outside and at railway stations.

Operation Cognition and the awareness of cocaethylene has also been expanded to domestic abuse support groups, education providers, and GP surgeries so that partner organisations know the signs to look out for and can offer support.