Lancashire hotels urged to detect child exploitation as police conduct tests
Operation Makesafe aims to educate hospitality staff on safeguarding
Hotels and accommodation providers across Lancashire have been encouraged to remain vigilant following police efforts to increase awareness of child sexual exploitation under Operation Makesafe.
Lancashire Constabulary collaborated with officers and youth volunteers to conduct 28 test purchase operations throughout the county, assessing hotel staff's ability to identify and respond to potential incidents.
Among the locations tested, 10 hotels failed to recognise possible child exploitation, while 12 successfully identified and reacted appropriately.
One hotel demonstrated commendable vigilance by refusing a suspicious booking and reporting their concerns to the police promptly. Six additional hotels were marked inconclusive as they claimed full occupancy, leaving uncertainty around their potential responses if capacity had allowed bookings.
Detective Inspector Andy Marston emphasised the importance of collaboration in tackling child exploitation: "Hotels can be unwittingly used by offenders to enable their criminality. Lancashire Constabulary is working hard to protect children and young people by detecting and preventing child sexual exploitation through the implementation of Operation Makesafe.
"The key to this work is the power of partnership, and what can be achieved through police, the hotel industry and third sector organisations working together."
Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw reinforced the significance of safeguarding initiatives: "Child exploitation in any form is completely unacceptable. I remain fully committed to supporting every opportunity to safeguard our children and young people and protect them from harm.
"Prevention and education are vital in tackling this issue, which is why initiatives like Op Makesafe are so important."
The partnership between police, the hotel sector, and third parties is pivotal in fostering environments that safeguard young people and deter exploitative activities.