PROBLEMS with drug dealing and substance abuse were raised by residents at a community policing event in Cowley Road.

Neighbourhood police officers and Oxford City Council anti-social behaviour officers were stationed in Manzil Way on Saturday morning.

More than a hundred people were approached for their views and Tom Hayes, the city council’s board member for community safety, said residents highlighted a drug problem in the area.

He said: “There were concerns over a real problem with people injecting in the Manzil Way public toilets and also residents from the Divinity Road Area Residents Association have brought up the issue of drug dealing on street corners in St Clements.

“People wanted to know what the city council and Thames Valley Police does to tackle it.

“The neighbourhood policing team explained their goal was to increase coverage of the area by officers.”

Concerns ranged from people’s rights if someone else had chained a bike to their fence to what to do when you see drug dealing or drug abuse.

Officers approached residents heading from towards the Cowley Road shops and the city centre, rather than relying on people turning up of their own accord.

As a result many people visiting Cowley Road gave police their opinions.

Mr Hayes added: “It was a really good event and we got the view of many people walking down Cowley Road, who went away with important leaflets on how to report drug offences.”

He said that he had written to all other city councillors to see whether similar events could be held across the city in the coming months.