The Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, Colin Cramphorn, joined officers from the force out on the streets of Bradford city centre to take part in a high profile policing campaign.

Target teams flooded the Bradford South district to focus on those involved in Drugs, vice, vehicle and street crime.

The four-day blitz, which began on Thursday, brought dozens of arrests, taking the total number of people arrested since Target was launched in April, 2001, to more than 5,000.

Mr Cramphorn told a special briefing that Target was one of the most impressive things he had discovered about West Yorkshire Police since he arrived.

"Over the last two days there have been more than 50 arrests in targeted areas and that is clearly encouraging," he said. "In this way we can have a real impact in the levels of crime in the city."

He added the force did not have the resources to maintain the same high-profile all the time. "We have to operate within the constraints of our resources," he said.

He later joined a Target team on a patrol of the city centre and visited a major policing exhibition outside Virgin Megastore in New Market Street. Youngsters were able to have their faces painted, meet Patches the Police car, the dog section and create their own 'wanted' poster. There was also mobile phone marking and officers on hand to take about police recruitment and crime prevention advice.

The briefing and exhibition were also attended by members of West Yorkshire Police Authority including vice-chairman and Bradford Councillor, John Ruding and Councillor Clive Richardson, Bradford Council leader, Margaret Eaton and other civic guests. They heard Chief Inspector Steve Hodgson of Target say the operation had been a great success with 22 arrests on Friday in connection with street robbery, burglary and drugs.

Officers from the Operational Support Unit and Bradford District Drugs Team arrested a 33-year-old woman from an address in Daleside Walk, West Bowling, on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cannabis. They also seized 30 wraps of amphetamine and cannabis after raiding a house in Bellerby Brow, Buttershaw.

On Saturday, Target teams visited the Bierley area and made arrests including one in Hyne Avenue. An air weapon and drugs paraphernalia were recovered.

Officers spent the day visiting retail parks, shops and pubs as the high-profile initiative continued. The campaign also saw the Target logo splashed across the ice rink building via a giant beam of light.

Susan Jeffrey, 49, of Allerton, visited the police exhibition along with her grandson, nine-year-old Joshua Pearson, who took the opportunity to have his finger prints taken and star in his own wanted poster.

"I think this is a good idea," she said. "And if it helps get criminals off the streets, that is great."

Young mum Zaira Khanum, of Thornbury, visited the exhibition where her daughter, five-year-old Sara, had her face painted for free.

"This makes the children more aware of everything the police do in the community," she said.