REGULATING and legalisation of drugs across North Wales is the ‘lazy answer’, the Home Secretary has said.

In an exclusive interview with the Leader, Priti Patel slammed Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones’ stance on tackling the drug problem by having drug consumption rooms.

Ms Patel said she ‘absolutely’ does not agree with Mr Jones and the Conservative Government has its own drug strategy which is ‘much more about providing wider support and rehabilitation.

She added: “The government’s policy is very clear. We are investing. We have a drugs strategy and quite frankly it’s not just about having rooms where people can take drugs and legalisation.

“People need help and support. I’m a great believer and I think the Conservative party is as well, our values are people centric. We don’t just say to people you’re a drug addict that’s it you’re over there.

“We’ve got to support people, help them where they need help and support to come off drugs. Go through rehabilitation, absolutely that is right, but actually support and give them a chance to turn their lives around as well.”

The Leader has previously reported the many concerns over discarded drug paraphernalia and images showing people in a zombie-like state after having taken drugs on the streets.

Some residents have shown support for the PCC’s stance on legalisation, saying it will prevent drug addicts from taking drugs on their streets.

Ms Patel told the Leader: “There are many other things we can do, many other ways we can support individuals who are drug abusers or users, or addicts and people involved in that for range of reasons.

“We have to unpack that and understand that. We’ve a lot of work taking place already in government.

“I don’t think legalisation is the right route, it’s the lazy answer basically and it will not fix the problem of drug users in this country and it will not help people addicted to drugs who really do want help and support.”

The North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner said he is not surprised with the lack of support from the Home Secretary.

He said: “It comes as no surprise that the Home Secretary disagrees with my stance on drugs, it is what I expect from a populist who says what she thinks people want to hear rather than doing what is right to ensure the wellbeing of our citizens.

“Sooner or later the penny will drop that regulation of drugs is the only way to make serious inroads into organised crime, we must remove the market from organised crime.

“Anything else is doing the same thing over and over again as we have over the last 50 years and expecting different results. It will never work.”

The Leader previously reported that 62 additional officers will be recruited for the North Wales force and Ms Patel promised there will be more.

She said that crime has changed and this ‘new generation of sophisticated police officers’ will be trained to ‘deal with the changing nature of crime’, which includes having the right equipment such as tasers.

She added: “I believe police officers should have a choice to be trained and equipped in having tasers. It will keep them safe and it will protect the public as well.

“Something like taser can save lives of public and officers as well. Visibility and presence are important but it’s that combined approached.

“I’ve listened to police constables around the country and police officers and what we’re doing is based upon what they’re telling us.

“Those officers are going to make a visible difference in terms of presence, but also the things that constituents care about which is policing engagement and visibility. They’re brilliant, they will be able to feedback on intelligence, work with schools. We do believe in the front-line staff.”

Mr Jones added: “On the question of police numbers, at least the Home Secretary got her figures right unlike her boss, Boris Johnson, who claimed that an extra 62 police officers were going to be pounding the beat in Deeside.

“The truth is that the whole of North Wales is to get 62 police officers in the first year of the uplift in numbers announced recently by the Government and North Flintshire is just one of 10 local policing districts in North Wales with operational deployment a matter for the Chief Constable.”