GuilFest Policing Successful Says Senior Police Detective

Published on: 18 Jul, 2012
Updated on: 19 Jul, 2012

714 people were searched by the police at GuilFest.

All photos by Michael Ellis of Ginger Cat Photography

Surrey Police are claiming success for their policing operation at the GuilFest music festival in Stoke Park despite recording 95 offences. Twenty arrests were made, down from 36 in 2011.

Of the 95 offences the majority, 75, related to the possession of the Class B drug cannabis. The police say that this figure demonstrates the success of a passive drugs operation in which Surrey Police aimed to eliminate the use of drugs where possible on the site at Stoke Park.

Thousands attend the GuilFest music festival.

A total of 714 people were searched over the period, 67 warnings and penalty notices for disorder (PNDs), 53 street bails. Twenty nine people were ‘linked’ to criminal offences over the weekend for a number of offences including the possession and supply of Class A and B drugs, being drunk and disorderly and public order offences.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Karen Hughes said: “The activity demonstrates Surrey Police’s determination to tackle drug related crime at the festival. We ran a specific operation, working closely with festival organisers and stewards, using the passive drugs dogs during the three days which was extremely successful and often just the sight of these dogs is enough to make people hand their drugs over. During the period between Thursday, 12 July and Sunday, 15 July officers seized cocaine, cannabis and MDMA.

A police patrol at the festival.

“We will not tolerate the supply or possession of illegal drugs, particularly at GuilFest, which is a fun and friendly event attended by people of all ages. The drugs arrests we made over the weekend helped ensure a drug-free environment at the festival and helped us achieve our main aim – of making sure it was a safe, enjoyable event for everybody.

“The other arrests made were very low level and related to minor offences which demonstrate the proactive work with plain and uniformed officers patrolling the site has helped curb crime.”

There were four reports of theft, two assaults, a public order affray and two reports of being drunk and disorderly.

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