A POLICE officer who paid hundreds for heroin and crack cocaine in an undercover operation said there was a “distinct lack of police presence” in Swindon.

The experienced police officer, known only as “Steve”, claimed Swindon had the most open drugs market he had ever seen – in years of tracking class A dealing.

In a statement prepared for yesterday's crown court hearings, Steve wrote: “I have found there is a distinct lack of police presence in and around Swindon and especially in the town centre.” That omission could give the public the impression the police were not interested in tackling drug dealing, he said.

He added: “I’m an experienced undercover officer and I can say hand on heart Swindon has the most open drugs market I have ever come across and also the most blatant.

“There are drug deals made on every corner in full view of the public.”

He had bought drugs in the town centre, been with users in a “drug induced smog” in a multi-storey car park stairwell, and had been dealt to in Faringdon Park and Queens Park.

On one occasion he had even played with youngsters in a basketball court on the edge of a Swindon housing estate while he waited for a dealer to arrive.

Steve, who took on the appearance of a stereotypical addict in order to blend in, said he had seen parents and grandparents with children and prams avoiding the large groups of addicts congregating in parks.

“I believe those adults would have been horrified,” he said.

Responding to the comments, Supt Adrian Burt, Swindon Hub Commander, said: “The way our Community Policing Teams are organised means that we now have more dedicated officers on the streets of Swindon town centre working around the clock within the community they serve.

“We have PCs and PCSOs walking the beat and talking to those who live and work in the town – gathering information and identifying any criminal issues that may be present.

“Our presence is real and apparent.

“Op Dasher at Christmas is a good example of this where police officers, PCSOs and Special Constables along with security staff were patrolling the town centre and Old Town; we also had a number of plain clothes officers out and about.

“This is work we continue throughout the year, including our pop-up shop in the Brunel Centre.

“Also, remember that the hard work Wiltshire Police does in tackling the supply of illegal drugs is not confined to work on the streets of the town – a lot of intelligence and investigation into crimes is done behind the scenes and isn’t always publicly visible.

“As always, we also encourage the public to help us; if you suspect drug dealing in your area please contact us.”