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Police swoop in on a suspicious man with a green rucksack strapped to the front of his body.

CCTV has picked him up and the Covid-19 team are deployed to Gritley Mews in The Meadows to get a closer look.

He is stopped and his bag is searched, where a large amount of cannabis is discovered in a plastic sack.

He tells officers: "I'm buying in bulk because you can't get out because of the lockdown."

It is an excuse that officers have heard many times before, so he is arrested on suspicion with intent to supply.

Drugs are still a problem for police despite the lockdown, but those addicted to harder substances such as crack cocaine and heroin don't have the crime to commit to feed the habit.

Inspector James Walker leads a team of police constables, specials, community support officers and community protection officers as part of the new Covid-19 police task force.

(Image: Matt Jarram)

He covers The Meadows, St Ann's and Clifton, and describes patrolling the area like "Christmas Day every day" as most people abide by the rules and have stayed indoors.

He said: "Acquisitive crime has gone down because people are at home, so there is less burglary and less people on the streets to commit robberies. Shops are shut so there are less shop thefts.

"Therefore, the people who use drugs have got less money to buy them.

(Image: Matt Jarram)

"I don't think it's stopped but we are not seeing it in its usual guise. How it has changed? It is difficult to say yet but it is still happening."

Another man is also stopped in The Meadows with spice and cannabis which he has concealed in medicine bottles and he will be interviewed under caution.

The Bridgeway shopping centre still has people milling about, around 25 in total, as the Co-op, the Family Shopper, a fruit and veg store, a meat shop and the pharmacy remain open for business.

People stay two metres apart as they queue to be let inside shops. It is a one in, one out policy.

(Image: Matt Jarram)

Lucy Bashforth is a community protection officer who has changed her role since the lockdown.

As the number of anti-social behaviour and environmental crimes drop, she is now carrying out welfare checks on the elderly and even delivering shopping to those in need.

She said: "People are trying to get out as much as possible, but in The Meadows most people abide by the rules. We did have an issue with the pharmacy.

"People were gathering, in a panic about not getting their prescriptions.

"They were thinking 'if in a week's time they run out how would they get them?'

"It was just about calming down the situation.

"They have two security guards there now and we have been there patrolling, which has been effective.

(Image: TRACEY WHITEFOOT)

"They just want that reassurance and in a uniform we can offer that reassurance."

Most of the team's work across the county is patrolling the area on foot, sometimes walking up to 37 miles every two days.

In total, there are around 80 officers as part of the new task force.

Their role is primarily to educate - to persuade people to stay indoors or if they have to be out then keep two metres apart. So far no fines have been handed out.

(Image: TRACEY WHITEFOOT)

PCSO Neil Williams has worked in The Meadows for 10 years.

He said: "We look at the busy areas and then go out on foot.

"The Embankment was a bit lively when the sun was out and we know the weather is going to pick up this weekend so it is something we will keep an eye on.

"Everyone we have approached understood what we were saying and moved on.

(Image: Matt Jarram)

"There were a lot of people sat on benches just having a five minute rest but they should not be there much longer than that.

"This is the quietest I have ever seen it.

"It's a strange situation we are all in. I have never seen anything like it and hopefully I will never see anything like it again."

Officers have also been working with businesses at Clifton Market after it became overcrowded at weekends.

"It was the volume in a small space and the lack of social distancing," Inspector Walker added.

(Image: Nottingham Post)

He said there were no issues with gang rivalry during the lockdown.

"We had drug dealing, rivalry between St Ann's and Radford and horrible 'tit for tat' stabbings and shootings.

"The St Ann's group has been completely dismantled.

"That has gone and it's made a massive difference to the area. The majority are in prison."

Speaking about leading his Covid-19 team, he added: "It's not good for us to have a battle with people to stay indoors otherwise we will never win.

"We don't want to be in conflict with people. We are all on the same side. We want to defeat this virus together."