IT'S just gone 8 o'clock on a Saturday night and people are getting ready to hit the pubs and clubs of North East Lincolnshire.
So, too, is the group assembled inside a warm Hamilton Street Police Station in Grimsby.
But the pub crawl they are about to embark upon is rather different to those you and I would be familiar with.
Instead of knocking back the pints or strutting their stuff on the dance floor, this bunch of hardy volunteers are on the lookout for drugs.
Not for their own recreational use of course, but to weed out those bringing illegal substances into the area's pubs and clubs.
This is Operation Ferret, Humberside Police's ongoing campaign to disrupt the use of illegal drugs in licensed premises.
Tonight's operation is being carried out mainly by a team of 11 specials, trained volunteers who assist their force in their spare time.
Among them is Special Sergeant Kris Weavill, who says operations like this are always enjoyable for volunteers to take part in.
"The people here have given up their Saturday nights to do this, and a lot of them have been at work today.
"We have specials from all walks of life – from computer programmers, to my mum who works in A&E and someone who works in Asda.
"It's a good operation for us to get involved in. It's a nice, short operation which is high impact.
"The licensees are always pleased to see us because our presence deters unwanted clientele from their premises.
"We are only there for 20 minutes and we don't go out to target specific premises. We are fair about it and the licensees are happy with that."
Special Sgt Weavill is keen to stress that the cost of the operation is relatively low, given that all those apart from Sergeant Simon Duffield, and the two dog handlers drafted in from West Yorkshire Police, are giving up their time for free.
And the focus of the night is not just about drugs, but about helping to create a safer environment in which people can let their hair down and have a good time.
Tonight officers are going out with 'red cards' which allow them to move potential troublemakers away from the town centres for a 48-hour period.
"They are for anyone who might be a bit drunk and look like they are going to cause trouble," Special Sgt Weavill explains.
"Instead of chucking everyone in the cells, we can get them out of the area and that will be the end of it.
"It's about educating people. Those who receive a card will get a visit during the week, and the feedback I have received from a colleague in Hull is that people say they didn't realise they were as drunk as they were."
A key element of the operation is ensuring that premises are meeting their licensing objectives.
But Lisa Vines, Humberside Police's licensing officer for the South Bank, insists the operation is less about checking up on licensees, but supporting them.
"It is difficult for them. They are trying to run a business and people are a lot more careful about doing things in front of other people.
"The licensed premises are really welcoming. These operations help to deter people from bringing drugs into their premises and it gives them a chance to raise any concerns they may have. It is a support role and one I very much enjoy."
For Adrian Moody, licensing manager at North East Lincolnshire Council, the operation provides a good opportunity to observe premises operating at their peak times.
"We get a feel for how they are going when it is actually busy. We want to ensure that the appropriate people are there and that they know what their responsibilities are.
"This operation is supported by Pub Watch because if they are running their ship properly they want to know other people are as well."
We eventually set off from Hamilton Street at around 8.45pm in a convoy of two police vans, one police dog van and two police cars.
We arrive at our first destination – The County Hotel, in Immingham, at around 9pm.
A young man in his late teens or early twenties soon arouses the attention of one of the search dogs and is promptly taken out to the van by Special Sergeant Paul Silver. Nothing is found on him.
Meanwhile, pub owner Willie Weir is engaged in conversation with the licensing officers.
"I fully support it," he says of the visit.
"It sends the right message out – zero-tolerance on drugs."
Next stop is The Green Man in Stallingborough. This proves a brief visit although the police presence raises a few eyebrows among punters standing outside the front enjoying a smoke.
Heading back into Grimsby, we arrive at The Trawl, in Yarborough Road.
Inside here, things get a little more lively. Officers guard the toilets while the dogs carry out a search for drugs.
One customer objects when his path to the toilet is blocked, and he is promptly taken outside for a chat by Special Sgt Weavill.
He re-enters, seemingly placated by the officer's declaration that some drugs have been found.
"Well done," says the man. "I don't want my family coming in here and finding that."
However, his mood darkens again when he is taken outside to be searched. Nothing is found.
"The reason we searched that particular gentleman was that he was being quite evasive," explains Special Sgt Silver, who also reveals that a small bag of white powder was found discarded on the floor near the bar.
"The idea is to get in their fast before people have a chance to discard any drugs, but when we found the poly bag near the bar there was nobody stood there so we just seized it."
Moving onto the Coach House in Humberston, and the police labradors are given a well-deserved rest.
However, it is a different matter for their handlers, whose presence attracts the interest of a number of female admirers emerging from a gig by a Robbie Williams tribute act.
"You can strip search me!" shouts a woman in a turquoise dress from underneath the smoking shelter.
A few minutes later, a group of overexcited women have their pictures taken with the bemused officers.
Departing at around 11pm we head to Cleethorpes town centre.
The Scratching Post in High Street is our first port of call.
Yaz Abu-Hassan, the owner of Hype in Market Street, is supportive of the operation.
"We always welcome the support of the police," he says.
"Drug use is always going to be prevalent in the night-time economy but we operate our own random drug searches to tackle the problem."
Inside, Special Sgt Silver is scouring the dance floor for signs of illegal drugs when he is alerted to something on the CCTV monitor by a member of staff.
He promptly heads for the outside smoking area at the back and takes a man in his 20s to the van for questioning.
Later he reveals that the staff member had noticed him throwing something over the wall. A search by officers found two bags of powder. The man admitted possessing one of them and was given a police caution.
Two other people are escorted into the van, one of whom is found to be in possession of a legal high.
Sgt Duffield aborts the search of Waves, and instead officers head across the road to the Lite House.
One man is escorted off the dance floor after arousing the attention of one of the drugs dogs, while two door staff are given a warning for not wearing their Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence badges.
SIA inspector Sandra Tuson, who also took part in the operation, revealed that all the doorstaff working at the venues visited were properly licensed.
At 12.20am, the team arrived back at Hamilton Street for the debrief, where Sgt Duffield was pleased to hear reports of mainly positive feedback from licensees and members of the public.
Councillor Dave Bolton, who came to observe the police at work, said one person had told him they wished they did it every week.
"We don't tend to get much hostility," says Sgt Duffield.
Thanking the volunteers for their efforts, he adds wistfully: "We've all missed X Factor now."
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