County Lines Communications Toolkit For help and support contact: Ella Hardy Communications and Campaigns Officer 9895 Ella.Hardy9895@Leicestershire.pnn.police.uk Ext: 3309895

What does this toolkit include? This toolkit is designed to help you effectively communicate key messages around county lines to internal and external stakeholders. Please use the messages within the toolkit to help raise awareness about county lines. Feel free to add your corporate logo to the images and/or tweak the social media messages to your audience. Download the images from Dropbox - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gznyzsctajvpf3s/AACf_ogpjTitEQdTr8yySc61a?dl=0 We need your help to be able to: Increase awareness of county lines among the public: Stakeholders/agencies Increase reporting of county lines Increase the number of people reporting intel to police Increase the quality of intel being reported to police Educate the public on County Lines

What are we trying to say? How do we say it? What are we trying to get across to the public with our messaging? We want to show through these social media messages that together in our partnership, we are: Employing a number of overt and covert tactics in order to prevent offences and catch anyone carrying out criminal activity surrounding county lines. Being proactive in tackling this type of crime whilst encouraging the public to assist by being vigilant and report suspicious activity. Raising awareness that this is a current but rapidly growing issue and can affect young children and vulnerable people that anyone has the potential to know. Call to action Think about who your target audience is. Use call to actions – “Report here” “Do you know the signs?” etc. Signpost your messaging: Direct external audiences to the Leicestershire Police website on county lines: https://leics.police.uk/countylines Direct internal employees to the Leicestershire Police reporting portal: https://leics.police.uk/partnerintel

Key messages There are many crime prevention messages but these are the main ones we’re trying to convey across through phase one of the campaign. Know the signs of county lines: Repeatedly missing from home or school and decline in academic performance May be carrying a weapon Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks Unexplained relationships with new or older people Know the signs of cuckooing: Signs of drug use Decline in a neighbour’s wellbeing Increase in people or vehicles visiting a property Increase in Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)

Posters

Cuckooing A5 leaflet with crop and bleed

Facebook covers

Twitter covers

Facebook images County Lines Cuckooing

Twitter images County Lines Cuckooing

Suggested Social Media Posts - Twitter Picture links Crime gangs use either children or vulnerable people unknown to the police to sell illegal drugs around the county. #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines for further information. #CountyLines https://leics.police.uk/countylines Do you know how to spot the signs of a child who is being exploited as a drug mule? #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines for further information. #CountyLines Do you know how to spot the signs of a child who is being exploited as a drug mule? #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines for further information on this and how you can report your concerns. #CountyLines  

Suggested Social Media Posts - Twitter Message Picture links Children are being groomed to deal drugs from a young age, they’re also being asked to look after weapons. What are the signs to look out for? Get to #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines . #CountyLines https://leics.police.uk/countylines Criminals are taking over the homes of vulnerable people. How can you spot this? Get to #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines . #CountyLines Has a child you know been given cash, clothes and expensive gifts they can’t easily explain? They may be victims of exploitation to sell illegal drugs around the county. #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines for further information #CountyLines  

Suggested Social Media Posts - Twitter Message Picture links Has your neighbour’s wellbeing significantly declined over the past couple of weeks or months? They could be a victim of county lines activity. Get to #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines for further information and how to report concerns. #CountyLines https://leics.police.uk/countylines Knowing the signs of #CountyLines can help you play your part within your community. Let’s keep children and vulnerable people safe. #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines Anti-Social Behaviour can be one of the many signs associated with county lines drug dealing. #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines for further information #CountyLines

Suggested Social Media Posts - Twitter Message Picture links #CountyLines is a form of criminal exploitation and sees offenders moving children or vulnerable people for the purposes of selling drugs. #KnowTheSigns to report suspicious behaviour, visit www.leics.police.uk/countylines for further information https://leics.police.uk/countylines Criminal offenders groom, threaten, force or trick victims into carrying out their crimes. #KnowTheSigns of how to spot #CountyLines activity to prevent more people falling victim, visit www.leics.police.uk/countylines Cuckooing is a form of county lines crime in which drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person in order to criminally exploit them as a base. Reporting it helps stop this. Find out how at www.leics.police.uk/countylines #CountyLines #KnowTheSigns

Suggested Social Media Posts - Facebook Message Picture links Criminals are grooming children to deal drugs from a young age in exchange for cash and gifts that traps them into an ongoing cycle they can’t escape. #KnowTheSigns and how you can report your concerns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines https://leics.police.uk/countylines Do you know a child who has suddenly got expensive items such as trainers, game consoles, phones and designer clothes they can’t explain. They could be a victim of county lines. #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines and how you can report any concerns you may have. Gang association is linked to criminal exploitation such as drug dealing. Don’t be a victim, there is always a way out. Visit www.leics.police.uk/countylines for further information #KnowTheSigns

Suggested Social Media Posts - Facebook Message Picture links Vulnerable adults can be exploited by criminals using their home to push drugs or as a base to deal them. Visit www.leics.police.uk/countylines to get to #KnowTheSigns and how to report any suspicious behaviour. https://leics.police.uk/countylines Are you concerned about a vulnerable neighbour’s welfare? Have they not been seen as frequently as usual? They may be a victim of cuckooing. Get to #KnowTheSigns and visit www.leics.police.uk/countylines for further information. #CountyLines Cuckooing is the take over of a vulnerable person’s house with the intention to use it as a base to sell drugs. #KnowTheSigns by visiting www.leics.police.uk/countylines for further information and for details on how you can report any concerns. #CountyLines