SPECIALIST PCSOs have supported more than 235 referrals for those at risk of Serious Violence and Organised Crime in Dyfed-Powys since May, figures have revealed.

INTACT is the force’s multi-agency partnership programme to tackle Serious Violence and Organised Crime in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys.

One of the priorities of the programme is early intervention and prevention, and this work is undertaken by Dyfed-Powys’ dedicated team of INTACT PCSOs who were appointed in April 2021.

The team have supported more than 235 referrals through a project called 121 Trusted Adult Work or group interventions since the pilot started in May 2021. They have also contributed to problem solving around the management of Organised Crime Groups and have educated more than 5,000 people about the signs and harms associated with different types of Serious Violence and Organised Crime.

With porjects now underway in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, the scheme has had success in neighbouring Pembrokeshire where a young man from the county "turned his life around" and gained employment after being given the support he needed for drug issues.

Also in Pembrokeshire, the ’Round 2’ initiative is providing opportunities for young people who have been identified by the INTACT team as vulnerable to exploitation or harm through boxing training sessions.

The team have succeeded in securing more funding for this popular initiative, meaning many more people will benefit from this intervention in the future.