To raise awareness of child exploitation, Devon and Cornwall Police have been running a proactive plain-clothes operation in local hotels.

The operation involved a plain-clothes male police officer with a 15-year-old boy and another officer with a 15-year-old girl, visiting several hotels and attempting to book a double room for the night.

The young people involved in the operation were volunteers from Plymouth Police Cadets.

Police Constable Mike Smith, who led the operation, said: “When our plain-clothes officers and cadets visited the hotels, our expectation was for the hotel employees to notice the warning signs. For example, the adult only wanting to pay in cash, a last-minute booking attempt with no luggage, no photo identification provided, and the adult insisting on a room with a double bed to share with a child – all of which are signs of possible child exploitation. The relationship between the adult and the child should also be questioned.”

In all but three of the hotels visited, both plain-clothes officers were able to get to the point of payment unchecked or unchallenged.

“This activity is an essential part of our commitment to keeping the local community and young people safe,” PC Smith added, “it isn’t about us trying to catch hotels out, it’s about understanding whether employees are aware of the signs to look out for and their response to an adult guest trying to rent a room with a child.

“The overall goal is for us to work with local hotels to ensure we are all playing an important part in safeguarding vulnerable young people. We want local businesses to feel confident in their ability to tackle the issue and, where necessary, alert police officers to intervene to protect a young person from coming to any harm.

“All the hotels visited have been provided with information to raise awareness of child exploitation. Additional training has also been offered to the premises involved. We will continue to engage and educate hotels and B&Bs across the city. This is such an important message for us to share, and we want to make sure it is shared far and wide.

“I’d like to thank our cadets who kindly volunteered their free time to support this operation, and to all the hotels who engaged with us. I hope we can continue to build a strong relationship, working together to safeguard vulnerable young people.”

This activity forms part of a local two-week campaign in Plymouth, Op Makesafe, to raise awareness of child exploitation with the public. For more information about child exploitation, the signs to spot, and how to report it, visit Op Makesafe | Devon & Cornwall Police (devon-cornwall.police.uk).

The educational posters and booklets given to hotels were kindly provided by The Children's Society. Hotels can access further educational material on The Children's Society website and by visiting: Op Makesafe | Devon & Cornwall Police (devon-cornwall.police.uk).

If you suspect someone of carrying out child sexual exploitation or think someone you know has been a victim, or may be soon, visit www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/cse or call our non-emergency number, 101.

If someone is in immediate danger of harm, please call 999 immediately.