Kendal Calling festival takes place this weekend at Lowther Deer Park and Cumbria Police are once again working with event organisers to ensure everyone attending the festival has a safe and enjoyable weekend.
Around 40,000 music fans are due to attend the annual festival which runs from Thursday 1 August– Sunday 4 August.
Following months of close partnership working, officers are now on site with drug detection dogs, carrying out sweeps of the grounds and surrounding areas. These sweeps not only act as a deterrent to attendees thinking of bringing drugs into the festival, but also assist in reducing drug related offences, which has been proved in previous years.
This type of activity will be conducted regularly until the festival ends.
There will be drugs amnesty bins situated at the entrances. Should anyone be found in possession of illegal drugs past these bins onsite, it will result in automatic ejection from the festival, and you will be prosecuted.
Officers will also be assisting event organisers and security staff throughout the weekend to provide a visible policing presence and deter incidents of crime and disorder.
Inspector Sarah Hodkinson, Public Order and Public Safety Bronze Commander for Kendal Calling said: “As with previous years, a great deal of effort has gone into planning this event along with the event organisers, security teams, local council, highways and other partners.
“Our officers, special constables and police dogs work tirelessly in the lead up and throughout the festival to ensure the safety of everyone attending the event, protect the public and reduce the number of illegal substances brought onto site. They also deal with incidents such as high-risk missing people, violence and keeping the peace.
“While our main aim is to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend, we have plans in place to deal with any incidents which may arise.
“We will have non-unfirmed and uniformed officers along with our dogs section assisting security staff and deploying thermal imaging drones throughout the car parks.
“Remember – do not take valuable, irreplaceable items on site with you and make sure items such as your mobile phone is kept with you at all times.
“I hope everyone has a safe, fun and enjoyable festival.”
Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, said: “It is great that as a county, we host so many large events, such as Kendal Calling, attracting local support and thousands of tourists to the area.
“This is why it is important that we make sure such occasions are safe, secure and organised in such a way that everyone can have a good time.
“The Constabulary’s priority is always to keep people safe from harm and I am confident that their planning and partnership working with the festival organisers, on-site security and supporting agencies, will enable everyone to have fun weekend.”
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