Hotels fail police testing over child exploitation signs

12 CITY HOTELS TESTED BY POLICE - AND 10 FAILED

- By CARL EVE [e-mail]

PLAINCLOTHES police officers working alongside police cadets have highlighted worrying gaps in city hotels in their ability to protect potentially vulnerable children.

Plymouth's city centre neighbourhood police team carried out the day of action to target the rising issue of child exploitation.

Operation Makesafe, a national project aimed at educating and preventing the exploitation and grooming of young people, took place in Plymouth on Thursday, October 30.

Although the operation has been run before across the city, its primary objective is to educate local hotel staff.

Supported by the Neighbourhood Support Team and two student officers from patrol, education was provided to the public during half-term at Drakes Circus Mall and the Piazza.

Signs of exploitation and discussions around how grooming can begin were had with the public, as well as information about how to report this to the police.

Later in the evening, police cadets assisted officers with a 'test purchase'. The 'test purchase' involved a plainclothes operation to assess Plymouth’s hotel industry's understanding of how to keep young people safe and when to report concerns to the police, if the situation doesn't feel right.