During 2024, as part of a new Warwickshire led operation called ‘Op Tenacity’, we and other forces stopped 176 drivers who we believe were intentionally trying to avoid being caught and brought to justice. 

These drivers initially came to the attention of our Warwickshire Road Safety Unit as they were committing multiple speeding offences.  We then investigated them because we know that drivers who have no regard for the safe requirements imposed by the law, could also be using the vehicle for other more serious crimes.   These are our High Harm Causers who we believe are intentionally trying to avoid detection and accountability for their actions and need to be stopped.

During 2024:-

• we added a total of 736 Op Tenacity PNC markers to vehicles
• 176 drivers were stopped by 27 different forces across the UK from Scotland to Devon and Cornwall
• resulting in 30 arrests including 12 disqualified drivers
• as well as ensuring drivers took responsibility for their speeding offences, Op Tenacity resulted in arrests for firearms, drugs, serious assaults, offensive weapons, immigration offences, burglaries and theft offences.
• we processed 540 outstanding speeding offences
• 96 of the vehicles stopped were seized and taken off the roads. 80 of these were due to the driver having no insurance for the vehicle. 

Simon Setchell of Warwickshire Road Safety Unit said “This is just the start.  Already this year in January 2025, a further 44 drivers have been stopped resulting in 10 arrests, 22 vehicles seized and 62 notices for speeding offences served.  For most of these ‘high harm’ drivers, it could mean instant disqualification as each speeding offence could attract 3 points and a fine along with the offence of no insurance that will result in the vehicle being seized

Assistant Chief Constable Ben Smith said “This is a really positive result as we are removing those drivers who can do most harm to others including uninsured and unlicenced drivers from the road. I am really pleased to see our Road Safety Unit continuing to go from strength to strength and making a real difference to the safety of road users across Warwickshire and UK as a whole.”  

Philip Seccombe, Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire and Chair of Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership said “These great results have led to interest from other forces and we are delighted to see that this good work is starting to be replicated across the UK starting with Kent Police choosing to adopt Op Tenacity from February 2025.”

We have included some results from Op Tenacity below:

Case study 1  – speeding / drugs / immigration / no insurance

Officers from Sussex Police stopped the driver of a car with an Op Tenacity PNC marker on it in November 2024 after they believe they saw the driver throw a mobile phone out of the window. They searched the car and found a quantity of Cocaine and £1000 cash.  The driver and his two passengers were arrested for immigration and drugs offences and the car seized for no insurance. They are awaiting court.

Case study 2 – multiple speeding offences

Thanks to an Op Tenacity PNC marker, a disqualified driver who was continuing to drive and commit offences in Warwickshire was arrested by West Yorkshire Police in June 2024.  As a result multiple national speeding offence notices were processed including 9 speeding offences in Warwickshire alone. In court, he was further disqualified and fined.

Case study 3 – speeding / offensive weapon

In July 2024 West Midlands officers stopped a driver due to an Op Tenacity PNC marker on his car. He was arrested and also found to be in possession of a bladed article and an offensive weapon. He is awaiting court.