Evil dealers are to be hounded out of Oxford's drugs capital as police warn: It's time the public reclaimed parks and streets.

The Oxford Mail can exclusively reveal that officers plan to smash a drugs ring in a park off Cowley Road, east Oxford - the centre of heroin dealing in the county.

Police hope the operation will rid the park of drug pushers for good and transform the area into an attractive Millennium Green within 18 months.

Dealers travel from all over Oxfordshire to sell heroin 24 hours a day in the notorious park, turning it into a no-go area for local residents.

Dealers and addicts can also be seen on the Cowley Road.

Sgt Paul Hembury, of Cowley police, said: "We are claiming this land back for the residents and law-abiding citizens of Oxford.

"We want to reduce the fear of crime in the area - and we want the area to be a beautiful park where dealers will find it impossible to hide. "We will continue to police the area and if drug dealers and users try to claim the park back we will go for them."

A confidential police report said the park, at the entrance to Manzil Way, 'has for years been the focal point for drug abuse, drug dealing and anti-social behaviour'.

It added: "It is common whilst travelling along Cowley Road, either by public or private transport, to witness blatant drug deals involving individuals who have no respect for the law.

"It is not just the local population who consider this to be a no-go area but tourists and business people, who are instantly shown one of the uglier sides to Oxford life."

Undercover officers are tracking a host of dealers using the park to sell drugs behind hedges and trees.

So far they have been unable to drive them out. Now police want to rid the park of dealers and redesign it so the public can enjoy it again.

The changes will make it much harder for dealers to operate in east Oxford.

Police architects will shortly draw up a blueprint for the park. It is expected to suggest restricting exits to make it easier for police to trap dealers. It will also include ideas to rid the park of hiding places for addicts to inject themselves with heroin.

In the next few months, the police and Oxford City Council will ask residents for their ideas on the park's design.

A plan, which will be a joint venture between the two authorities, should be finished by New Year and work completed by spring 2000. Survey reveals crime concerns A huge study of crime and disorder in Oxford has revealed people are worried about the link between drugs and crime.

Pamela Reilly, the crime strategy officer for Oxford City Council, sent out 700 questionnaires to people in Oxford and teamed up with the police and other organisations to find out what crimes are being committed, who the criminals are and where the "hot spots" are.

She told the city strategy and resources committee yesterday that a lot of crime was linked to heroin use and that the worst areas for crime were the city centre, east Oxford, St Clements and Blackbird Leys.

People had a high perception of aggressive street begging, the homeless, burglary, car crime and crime by young people.

The widespread use of drugs is not reflected in police statistics as they are not arresting many people for drugs. But people are being convicted for other crimes which are linked to drug use.

Ms Reilly said: "People are worried about drugs. We need to be heightening people's awareness of the drug problem."

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