THE VOICE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE
BOLTON - FEBRUARY 2024
SIX OFFENDERS JAILED BY BOLTON CHALLENGER TEAM
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As we enter the second month of 2024 we reflect on a productive and successful January for the Bolton district. Three months have now passed since the introduction of the new District Operating Model that saw the creation of district investigation teams and despite the challenge that any new model brings, it is apparent that we, as a team are making significant progress in respect of achieving quality outcomes for victims and working cohesively as a team to deliver for the public. Having listened to feedback from many of you I know there are some aspects of the model that need tweaking but be assured that these issues are being raised and the review team are receptive to suggestions and as keen as us for the model to work so watch this space. January also saw our neighbourhood teams continue to deliver excellent results with drugs warrants, vehicle seizures and some fantastic arrests in relation to robberies, vehicle crime and burglary as just some examples of the work that our three teams have been involved in and continue to go from strength to strength. In addition to this the Bolton Challenger team, whose hard work largely goes unreported, saw some excellent court results with six offenders all linked to county lines and drugs offences sentenced to a total of 27 years imprisonment. Last month also saw us further aligning with the force model in respect of our District Tasking Team with the BAT now entitled the Neighbourhood Tasking Team and becoming more aligned to the Neighbourhood Crime Team. In respect of local staff moves we have recently bid farewell to DCI Pete Morley who has embarked on a new challenge with the Change team, and we welcome DCI Dave Turner who will take over the Vulnerability portfolio and drive this critical area of business forward. We have also seen some fantastic results in the recent pc-sergeant promotion process and look forward to posting these officers to their permanent positions very soon. Lots of really good work ongoing by every department on the district and I look forward to another exceptional month for us at Bolton. Thank you for everything you do. Chief Superintendent Steph Parker
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Focus on Bolton Challenger team Across the force, each district has its own Challenger team dedicated to relentlessly pursuing and disrupting serious and organised crime groups, as well as reducing the risks to vulnerable people and preventing them from becoming victims. Based out of Scholey Street station, the team consists of Detective Sergeant Paul Quinn, Detective Constable Duncan Mcnulty, Detective Constable Phil Halliwell, Police Constable Paul Trecarichi, Police Constable Nick Hill, Police Constable Joe Dickinson & Police Constable Matt Carradice. The team is tasked with tackling serious & organised crime in all its forms on the Bolton division, with investigations ongoing into the production, importation, movement & supply of illegal drugs, crimes involving firearms and other weapons and their use/supply, people trafficking, slavery, child exploitation, sexual exploitation, economic crime, including money laundering and fraud, and organised immigration crime. As Ma’am Parker alluded to in this month’s district commander message; the Bolton Challenger team have had an extremely successful set of court appearances resulting in six organised criminals linked to county lines and Class A drugs supply throughout Bolton sentenced to over 27 years imprisonment, within the space of five weeks at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. Just a snapshot these cases are featured below: Nathan Holmes Sentenced 11 December 2023 Three years imprisonment for his involvement in the supply of Class A drugs with the ‘D&N County Line’.
Usman Azam Sentenced 19 December 2023 Four years and six months imprisonment for his involvement in the supply of Class A drugs through the ‘Shane County Line’ Ameer Hamza Sentenced 21 December 2023 Three years and six months imprisonment for his involvement in the supply of Class A drugs through the ‘Whisper County Line’ Nahir Saacid Sentenced 21 December 2023 Six years and ten months imprisonment for his involvement in the supply of Class A drugs through the ‘Shotta County Line’. Anthony Pollard Sentenced 21 December 2023 Five years and three months imprisonment for his involvement in the supply of Class A drugs through the ‘Shotta County Line’. Lewis Ottley Sentenced 15 January 2024 Four years imprisonment for possession with intent to supply cocaine after a warrant at his address in which officers located £100,000 worth of cocaine and £12,000.
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New Code of Ethics to abide by Do the right things, in the right way, for the right reasons A new national Code of Ethics has been published to reflect the challenges of modern-day policing whilst outlining the professional behaviours that the public can expect to see from officers, staff members, volunteers and apprentices. Designed to underpin the policing sector, the Code of Ethics outlines the professional behaviours from a service that is fair, ethical and can be trusted to keep the public safe. It provides the bedrock for everyone across policing to ‘do the right things, in the right way, for the right reasons’. This new Code of Ethics will work alongside a separate Code of Practice for ethical policing. Launched in December, the Code of Practice sets out the actions that chief officers should take to support people in their force to follow the ethical policing principles and demonstrate professional behaviour. Our Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods said: “I welcome the launch of the new Code of Ethics, which now better reflects the modern-day challenges we face. “It commits us to prioritising public service by always acting in the public interest, leading with courage by challenging wrongdoing when we see it and responding with respect and empathy at every call we attend. “This represents an important step forward for GMP – we are always striving to do the right thing and behave professionally at all times, and with this framework in place we can measure our actions, to ensure that we’re all working towards the same standards. “The ethical policing principles will drive everything we do going forward, and it’s your responsibility to fully understand these principles and embed them in your ways of working. “They are there to help you make the right decisions, whilst acting ethically and responsibly.” What has changed? The nine principles from the 2014 Code of Ethics have been mapped into the following three principles that are easier to remember and apply: • Public service • Courage • Respect and empathy. These principles are supported by guidance that sets out what ethical and professional behaviour looks like on a day-to-day basis. This details how policing professionals should behave, and will help all members of GMP to apply the ethical policing principles in their specific role. The guidance provides practical advice on areas of policing that are important to maintaining public trust and legitimacy. This includes being open, honest and candid, treating all people and their property with fairness, dignity and respect and challenging or reporting behaviour that is unprofessional. The Code of Ethics guides officers, staff, volunteers and apprentices through the decision-making process by encouraging the use of personal responsibility and professional judgement.
It is central to the National Decision Model (NDM), and by using the Code of Ethics you can ensure that you are acting in a fair and ethical way in everything you do, whether that is arresting a suspect or delivering training. Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing, said: “You make difficult decisions on a daily basis which often impact people who are vulnerable. “This new code will guide you through the decision-making process to ensure that you are applying professional judgement and personal responsibility, whilst reflecting on and learning from past experiences, continuing to improve, review and apply new knowledge.” More about the new code The code is hosted on the College of Policing website and has been developed by serving police officers, police staff, academics and representatives from partner organisations. It is based on evidence and first-hand experience to make sure that everyone working in policing feels fully supported within their roles. DCC Woods added: “Whilst the Code of Ethics gives us guidance of how we require people to conduct their work, it works alongside GMP’s Standards of Behaviour. “These standards are in place to remind us what we need to do – they are a mandatory set of key performance rules that must be adhered to. “More information is on the dedicated Code of Ethics section of the intranet. “Remember, the Code of Ethics underpins everything we do, every day.” Your feedback is welcomed We would like to hear what you think of the new code. Please scan the QR code below to access a quick and anonymous feedback survey. The survey can also be accessed via the intranet.
2024 Code of Ethics survey
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Book your place for Chief Constable’s Roadshow
Eight roadshow sessions to choose from
This year marks GMP’s 50th anniversary, so there is no better time to reflect on where we are as an organisation and where we want to be. Our goal is to be the best performing police force in the country, and although there is a lot of work that needs to be done to achieve that ambition, we are undoubtedly on the right path. Our recent police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL) report cemented our position as the most improved force in the country for the second year running, and Chief Constable Stephen Watson would like to thank all officers, staff members, volunteers and apprentices in person for their hard work and dedication that is fuelling GMP’s resurgence and to let them know our plans for the future. The upcoming Chief Constable’s Roadshow offers the perfect opportunity to do so. All members of the force are urged to attend one of the events taking place between the Tuesdays of 30 April and 2 June 2024 to celebrate GMP’s achievements over the past year and to discuss our blueprint for further progress over the next 12 months and beyond.
We have arranged eight sessions across four dates and three venues to provide the opportunity for all members of the force to attend. The options are:
Staying on track to be the UK’s best force CC Watson said: “The rate of improvement seen at GMP since the force was put into special measures in December 2020 is unparalleled in the history of UK policing. “The goal now is to continue the momentum. “The annual roadshow provides a platform for officers, staff members, volunteers and apprentices to come together, take stock of where have been and the improvements we have made and identify the remaining challenges that lie ahead and how we will navigate our way through them. “It also provides the opportunity for you to feed back to the Chief Officer Team directly.”
• Tuesday 30 April: AJ Bell Stadium, Salford • Friday 3 May: Midland Hotel, Manchester • Thursday 9 May: Midland Hotel, Manchester • Tuesday 14 May: Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton Morning (10am to 12 noon) and afternoon (1.30pm to 3.30pm) sessions will be held on all four event days. To book your place, visit https://forms.office.com/e/gtLv3hfddy and fill in the simple form, detailing your name, collar number, the branch/district you work for and your chosen session by the deadline of Monday 22 April. Pre-event feedback to inform roadshow agenda In the lead up to the roadshow, we want to hear how you have contributed to GMP’s continued evolution over the past year. We want to know: • What are you most proud of achieving this year and why? • What do you think we still need to do? Please answer the questions in full via https://forms.office. com/e/5P014u6YYB CC Watson said: “The quick survey will inform the roadshow agenda and enable us to address any issues that you raise. “I look forward to seeing you all during the roadshow.”
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Retrospective facial recognition pilot is already proving to be successful GMP is already reaping the rewards of agreeing to be one of six police forces to pilot a retrospective facial recognition (RFR) initiative. The four-month pilot has been launched to improve and increase RFR through the Police National Database (PND), as part of the Home Office Digital Landscape Review programme. RFR is one of the functions of the PND that looks for matches using existing photographs, with over 18 million searchable records. It uses an algorithm to compare images of unknown individuals against a pre-determined dataset to establish if they are on the national database. If you have an image of a person you need to identify in connection with an ongoing investigation, you may be able to do so via an RFR search via the PND. Missing people and people of interest in an investigation can also be searched for. We began working with different areas of the force to embed the initiative when the pilot went live at GMP at the start of January. This is an ongoing process, with training being provided as and where necessary, but we have already seen some positive results. Superintendent Marcus Noden, the force lead for the pilot, said: “We need to ensure that we are always looking at new and better ways of policing. “Our participation in this pilot will not only help to deliver improved use of facial recognition technology in policing nationally, it will increasingly provide positive results for the force. “We have already benefited from the pilot on a number of occasions.
“For example, Sergeant Mark O’Brien recently established that a man loitering around closed shops in Bolton town centre was a registered sex offender wanted for three offences, after obtaining a photo of him and uploading it onto the PND facial recognition tool. “The man had given a different name to his true identity established through the technology. “Usage of RFR is increasing at GMP day-by-day, and the team looking after the pilot will continue to work with different areas of the force to further embed this initiative, providing training where necessary so that everyone who can make use of this technology in their role will be fully up to speed.” The force has around 200 trained PND operators that can action an RFR search for you upon request. Our branches and districts have their
own PND points of contact. Check out the ‘Police National Database’ section of the intranet for everything you need to know about utilising the PND to help you achieve more positive results in your role. Supt Noden added: “GMP was unable to put many images onto the PND from custody captures prior to March 2023, due to the poor image qualities taken by the cameras in the custody suites. “Since then, however, the quality of our custody images has improved through the use of advanced camera equipment, which now provide good enough quality images to be uploaded onto the PND. “As a result, up to 3,000 GMP custody images are now being uploaded onto the PND every month, with the image size and quality getting better over time too. “The fact that we’re improving our performance at the start point of the RFR process can only be a positive in terms of RFR opportunities further along the crime investigation line. “This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what the system can do to help us get positive outcomes. “For many investigation teams, such as the District Investigation Teams (DITs) and the Initial Investigation Unit (IIU), there are literally thousands of additional investigative opportunities through the use of facial recognition, as a result of ongoing system improvements. “I ask all teams to think about how they can take advantage of this facility to help them with their work.” We are working with the Home Office, College of Policing, National Police Chiefs’ Council and Police Digital Service in delivering the pilot.
Examples of suspects being identified via RFR
CCTV image
Cropped CCTV image
Custody image
CCTV image
Custody image
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Invaluable air sup requested whenev The National Police Air Service provides an invaluable service to forces across the country – but it is currently being underutilised by GMP. Bury district Chief Superintendent Chris Hill, the GMP and North West lead for NPAS, said: “The National Police Air Service was formed in October 2012 following a national review of air support conducted by the Home Office in 2009. “NPAS provides borderless air support to the 43 police forces of England and Wales 24 hours a day, 365 days a year from its national network of 13 bases, with our closest being at Barton in the Salford district. “The blended air service provided by NPAS involves 13 helicopters and three fixed wing aeroplanes. “Flying at an average speed of 138mph, police air support saves officers on the ground valuable time when it matters and is an invaluable resource for tackling criminality, saving lives and keeping people and communities safe. “In time-critical searches, such as that of a high risk missing adult or child, the time saved in locating people can literally mean the difference between life and death. “Yet we are not utilising NPAS enough at GMP.” NPAS can carry out a variety of tasks for forces, including: • Searching for high risk missing people, injured people and for people where there is a serious concern for their safety and wellbeing • Searching for suspects • Managing vehicle pursuits from the air • Assisting with counter terrorism and specialist firearms operations • Aerial photography • Crowd control.
The benefits of utilising air support include: • The ability to search large areas quickly – 20 times faster than other options and requiring fewer ground resources – can mean the difference between life and death • The crew can provide an aerial overview of a situation, which minimises risk to members of the public and officers • The mission equipment on board the aircraft provides a real-time downlink into control rooms • NPAS has the ability to surge resources in times of greatest need • The service provides enhanced safety of the public and officers • NPAS produces specialist quality evidence • The aircraft provide a visible and powerful deterrent, ensuring that communities are safe and people feel safer. NPAS aircrafts offer daylight and thermal imaging cameras with video recording capability and high-quality stills photography. The helicopters also have a public address system and a Nitesun search light. Ch Supt Hill said: “Air support should be requested whenever it is justified. “It should also be requested at the earliest opportunity in order to maximise effectiveness.” A request for air support can be made through the Force Contact, Crime and Operations Branch (FCCO), where authorisation will be given by the Force Duty Officer (FDO)/Force Duty Supervisor (FDS) and passed to NPAS Control. Once the request has been received by NPAS, the next available aircraft will be allocated. If it is already airborne and is operating locally or is on a local ‘CK’ talk group, a request can be made directly to the aircraft in order to minimise response time. However, this will
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pport should be ver it is justified need authorisation from the control room supervision. The information that needs to be passed to NPAS is the location, task and talk group. Pre-planned tasking requests can be made via a ‘Request For Pre-Planned Air Support’ form and must be authorised by an inspector or above. Once the form has been completed it should be emailed to NPAS Dispatch via ops.centre@npas.police.uk The nearest base for GMP is NPAS Barton in Eccles. The contact details are: • • • •
Base Manager (Sergeant): Extension 64604 Duty Crew: Ext 64601 Pilot: Ext 64636 Email: npas.barton@npas.police.uk
When it comes to pre-planned deployments, NPAS Tactical Flight Officers are available to provide strategic advice and guidance around NPAS capability and service delivery. This will support cost-effective and efficient deployments, intelligence targeted taskings and increase positive outcomes. You can request to speak to NPAS Tactical Flight Officers via the above Base Manager and Duty Crew numbers for NPAS Barton. Is a drone a more suitable option? The GMP Drone Unit is a more suitable alternative to NPAS support in some instances. Our drones can get into much smaller spaces, including indoor areas and unsafe spaces. The fact that they are smaller and quieter than a helicopter makes them more suitable for many tasks, including those of a more ‘covert’ nature.
Also, unlike NPAS support, it does not cost the force anything when our drones are utilised. However, our drones have limitations. The operator must maintain a clear line of sight with the drone at all times, and so drones are not suitable for vehicle pursuits and other similar deployments. Drones are also more limited in inclement weather conditions, although they can fly in rain. To request a drone for deployment, send a completed Form 2007 to drone@gmp.police.uk for non-time sensitive taskings or call either radio channel 371, the FDO on extension 66321, ext 66207 (office) or the duty drone mobile number of 07393 239737 for time sensitive/spontaneous taskings.
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An exceptional resource for all suspected CSE and CCE cases GMP’s Complex Safeguarding Teams are on hand to provide expert support and assistance to officers across the force on any case in which they feel that there may be child exploitation concerns. Each of our districts has a dedicated team for child sexual exploitation (CSE) and child criminal exploitation (CCE) investigations. Made up of detectives, social workers, psychologists and nurses, they are an invaluable resource that officers should utilise for all suspected CSE and CCE cases. The teams will provide investigative support, guidance and assistance, and, importantly, if the evidence suggests that the child is being exploited by an adult, they will take ownership of the investigation in order to safeguard the child and prosecute the exploiter. Detective Sergeant Tim Greenwood, of our Public Protection and Serious Crime Division, said: “The Complex Safeguarding Teams across the force provide passion and dedication to protecting vulnerable children in Greater Manchester. “I see evidence daily of their commitment to safeguard, educate and support not only the children but their parents and families too. “Recently we have commissioned some online training called ‘Out of the Shadows’, which highlights and identifies the real-life dangers for some of Greater Manchester’s children, and I ask every officer who has a concern for a child
appropriate language around children and victim blaming and to follow the guidance that has been supplied following a national review into CSE – search for ‘Appropriate language for professionals’ on the intranet.” For assistance with CSE and CCE cases, contact your district Complex Safeguarding Team SPoC. The SPoCs are:
they believe may be being exploited to contact their district safeguarding team for advice and support. “We are very good at identifying sexual exploitation, but we have seen a massive increase in online exploitation and it is imperative that you retain all potential evidence to support investigations. “In respect of criminal exploitation, this is something we have made great improvements on, and the Complex Safeguarding Teams are doing some amazing work in protecting these vulnerable children from adults who are clearly exploiting them. “We still need to be mindful, however, that some children in our communities are being arrested for drug supply offences when there is a possibility that they are being exploited by an adult. Again, when this occurs it is important that you seize all relevant evidence, such as phones, and make contact with the force’s safeguarding teams so that we can identify if there is any exploitation taking place. “I also ask all officers to be mindful of
• Bolton: DS Andrew Jameson, extension 65645, boltoncpiu-cst@gmp.police.uk • Bury: DS Damian Reed, ext 69694, bury.csh@gmp.police.uk • City of Manchester: DS Jinnett Lunt, ext 66020, com.csh@gmp.police.uk • Oldham: DS Andy Barrett, ext 63182, oldham.csh@gmp.police.uk • Rochdale: DS David Read, ext 68487, rochdale.csh@gmp.police.uk • Salford: DS Vickie Ford, ext 65186, salford.csh@gmp.police.uk • Stockport: DS Kat Moriarty, ext 63188, stockport.csh@gmp.police.uk • Tameside: DS Michelle Davies, ext 69421, tameside.csh@gmp.police.uk • Trafford: DS Kate Southern, ext 63394, trafford.csh@gmp.police.uk • Wigan: DS Nicola Wood, ext 63614; and DC Louise Dunne, ext 61835; wigan.csh@gmp.police.uk
Right Care Right Person coming soon Later this year GMP will be adopting Right Care Right Person (RCRP), a nationwide initiative which helps to identify when 999 or 101 calls require a police response and when a different agency would be better placed to assist. Full training and support resources will be made available to everyone who needs them before the programme goes live. In recent years calls for mental health and social care incidents – including concerns for welfare, patients
leaving care settings and falls and injuries – have increasingly been routed inappropriately to the police. Our officers currently spend a significant amount of time dealing with incidents and issues which fall outside their remit. Not only does this impact the resources that we are able to direct to preventing and investigating crime, but the police are often not the best first response to support vulnerable, unwell or confused people. Right Care Right Person will not
affect our existing legal and moral duties. It will not stop officers attending incidents where there is a threat to life or a risk of serious harm, a child is at risk or a crime or potential crime is involved. Please be aware that RCRP has not yet gone live at GMP and no changes currently need to be made to the way we work. For more information, please see the ‘Right Care Right Person’ hub in the Operational Support section of the intranet.
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Wellbeing at Greater Manchester Police Join the GMP Simplyhealth Plan
Maintaining healthy relationships
Staying active and keeping a healthy focus on enjoying life can help you to cope with financial stress. You can do this on a budget by taking advantage of the lifestyle discounts and offers on gym membership available through Simplyhealth. There may be times when your finances overwhelm you emotionally and finding pleasure and staying active may not seem important, but taking time out will serve you and your family well in the long run. As a GMP employee, you can get 25 per cent off selected gym membership with Simplyhealth. You can also enjoy discounts from over 3,300 studios, sports clubs and gyms – including PureGym and David Lloyd Clubs – plus online workout programme subscriptions. The GMP Simplyhealth Plan also provides cashback towards everyday health costs – such as dentists, opticians and physiotherapists – as well as access to body scans and health consultations. Visit www.simplyhealth.co.uk/GMP to find out more or to join the plan.
The theme for GMP’s Wellbeing Calendar this month is ‘maintaining healthy relationships’. People with healthy, positive and supportive relationships are more likely to be happier and healthier. Creating and maintaining good connections with others can also help to combat loneliness and improve mental health issues, such as stress and anxiety. You can learn more about how to build and maintain healthy relationships, and deal with issues including stress and anxiety, via www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters. February dates for the diary • Thursday 1 February: Time to Talk Day • Monday 5 to Sunday 11 February: Children’s Mental Health Week • Monday 5 to Sunday 11 February: National Apprenticeship Week • Tuesday 6 February: Safer Internet Day • Wednesday 7 February: Charles Dickens Day • Saturday 10 February: Chinese New Year • Saturday 17 February: Random Acts of Kindness Day Support is always available If you are struggling, there is always someone to talk to: • Peer support in GMP: Contact our Wellbeing Volunteer Co-ordinators to be put in contact with a colleague who has lived experience of a situation you are currently going through. • Health Assured: You can call our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider’s free, confidential helpline 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0800 028 0199. • Samaritans: A listening ear is always available on 123 116.
Chance to win £1,000 in free draw Police Mutual is giving all members of the force and their families the chance to win £1,000. There will be two winners of the cash prize in Police Mutual’s free prize draw, which closes on Sunday 31 March 2024, with the draw taking place on Tuesday 9 April 2024. You must be eligible for Police Mutual products, and terms and conditions apply for the prize draw. For the full details of the prize draw, including how to enter, visit https://rb.gy/llw644
Send targeted alerts and crime prevention advice Provide reassurance following incidents and emergencies Reply to messages and involve the public in shaping local priorities
Members of the public must sign up to receive free email or text alerts www.beeintheloop.co.uk
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Support for officers from recruitment into retirement Did you know that GMP officers can have full access to The Ben Fund, even into retirement? The independent charity is dedicated to supporting and caring for police officers from recruitment into retirement. With a monthly donation of £8.40 (subject to ‘Payroll Giving’), you can access all that the charity offers, from respite and recovery, physiotherapy, mental health support and wellbeing breaks to financial assistance during times of hardship and ‘in-service’ death grants awarded to dependants. The Ben Fund also has its own stateof-the-art treatment centre, St Michael’s Lodge in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley, which offers members a short break away from regular life, from £120 for a two-night bed and breakfast stay. The charity has provided invaluable support to officers across the North West and the Midlands, and currently has over 16,500 members.
The wife of a retired officer has thanked the charity for the support it provided when her husband became seriously ill and required round-the-clock care. Thanks to the financial support and rehabilitation therapy provided by The Ben Fund, a very scary situation became more manageable. She said: “There’s been such a financial worry, and it’s been really helpful to know that we can fall back on The Ben Fund and that we haven’t been
left in the lurch. I am so pleased that Derek paid into The Ben Fund his whole career, and still does now out of his police pensions, as now we have that support when we really need it. “We were fortunate enough to not need The Ben Fund when Derek was serving in the police, but we did when he retired. “The charity has been absolutely marvellous. “Whenever Derek has wanted or needed something, The Ben Fund has helped him. “The charity is always there, whenever we ask for help or support.” Visit www.thebenfund.co.uk, email enquiries@nwpbf.org or call 01254 244980 for more information about The Ben Fund, including how to become a member. Once you have joined you should see a deduction on your pay or pension slip titled ‘Benevolent Fund’.
WWI art finds a home at Sedgley Matt O’Hara-Lythgoe, a former contracts and compliance manager for the BBC, has donated a picture to GMP to thank us for our support in setting up the corporation’s Veterans Network. Titled ‘The Burial of the Unknown Warrior’, the picture was commissioned by His Majesty King George V following the end of the First World War and symbolises all those who died in the conflict. The picture was authorised by the King to be displayed in every police station around the country. Unfortunately, the picture has disappeared from most buildings over the years. However, by chance, Matt and his father managed to pick one up at a recent auction. Having had it restored and mounted, Matt wished for it to be put back on display in a police building. Following GMP’s support in setting up the Veterans Network at the BBC, where he was the veterans lead, Matt wanted the commissioned artwork to be proudly displayed within our force. The picture was handed over to
Inspector Jim Jones, Frank Rutter and John Thompson from the force’s Armed Forces Network and has been put up on display at Sedgley Park. Insp Jones said: “When Matt offered to donate the picture to us, we were
naturally delighted to accept it. “Having it hanging in the iconic ‘Library Corridor’ at Sedgley Park means it is rightly in full view of everyone as King George V would have intended.”
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United We Run as two of Bolton’s finest complete 5K Chief Superintendent Stephanie Parker and Chief Inspector Justine Topping both hit the ground running in 2024, as the Bolton officers took part in United We Run’s 5k at the start of January. The initiative, launched at the end of 2023, is aimed at inspiring women across the country to get out running, to get fitter and improve their selfconfidence. The program further encourages women who may be interested in running – but have previously encountered harassment – to join running groups which can provide a vital support network. United We Run is committed to providing safe routes and groups for women to take part in as they get out running. The run, which took place in Queen’s Park, featured numerous female leaders from across the Bolton area, and is a collaboration between Bolton GP Federation, Bolton Council, Bolton Wanderers in the Community and Her Spirit.
Chief Inspector Justine Topping said: “Taking part in United We Run’s 5k was a great start to the year and it was brilliant to see so many women from different backgrounds across Bolton get out for some exercise and fun. “In Bolton we are committed to keeping women safe and we were proud to take part in this initiative, which provides a fun, safe environment to get out, keep fit, and make new friends. “We would encourage all women across Bolton – people both inside and out of the force – to put on a pair of running shoes and join a local group. United We Run provide plenty of information about running and local groups, so anyone interested should check them out.”
DCI Dave Turner joins the Bolton team We have recently welcomed DCI Dave Turner to the ranks at Bolton and below you will find a short introduction from him. “Dear colleagues, I do hope that you are all doing well. I wanted to introduce myself to staff across the district. As some of you will know I have taken over from my predecessor Pete Morley as the detective chief inspector over the Vulnerability Portfolio. Prior to being at Bolton I was based at the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit for five years managing a number of sensitive and specialist capabilities; before that I was a detective inspector for many years at the CoM, Stockport, Salford, and with experience in covert Counter Terrorism – meaning that for over 20 years I have been working around criminal investigations departments. With this professional history I have to admit returning to local policing after such a long time away from GMP was very daunting; there have been many changes since I’ve been away that I felt the transition would be a difficult one. “Pleasingly that transition has been made all more easy by the universal, friendly and warm welcome that I have received; the help and support across departments and at all levels has been very touching, thank you.
“I already feel very settled at Bolton: a place where I have rarely visited and one where I know very few people. “On reflection, I suppose the welcome I have received is testament to a much wider positive and optimistic culture that I feel exists on the district. I have to say that before I arrived I spoke to a number of people about their thoughts about Bolton; universally the feedback was extremely strong with the district having a really strong reputation around the force, but it isn’t until you actually see and feel this in action that this sense of positivity comes to life. “I have seen this in several ways: the professional way staff conduct themselves in their daily activities, staff pulling together and helping each other out to achieve the right outcome, and our strong, collaborative relationships with partners. Having worked in numerous places over my career, having this this level of harmony is rare and one that we should all cherish moving forward. “Over the coming weeks you may find me asking questions about what you do and how your individual roles support better alignment in all our endeavours; equally I am eager to contribute to our shared objectives and ensure we meet our key objective to provide an outstanding level of service to the public. “To date, I have seen some fantastic work on the district; particularly around domestic abuse which is one of our district priorities.
“I passionately believe that providing the best level of service in the support of these victims can only be achieved if we take a consistent and professional approach in every instance; diligently gather all the available evidence and maximise our opportunities of arrest at the point of report. It shouldn’t be the case that we allow ourselves to walk away from a victim without them knowing that we have done the very best for them so that those causing them harm cannot do so without a positive criminal justice outcome being achieved. “To this end I would encourage you all to adopt a statement that a colleague said to me recently which I felt encapsulated this approach perfectly – though it equally should be our approach to everything that we do here for our communities – ’Do it right, do it well first time.’ “On that note should you have any questions or require my assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out. I look forward to collaborating and forging strong working relationships with all of you.”
12 THE BRIEF
FEBRUARY 2024
Tacking retail crime with Bolton’s shoplifting team Bolton’s shoplifting team has started 2024 exactly the way it means to go on – by securing multiple charges for suspected shoplifters across the town. In just one week in late January, the team secured 26 charges for eight different people, relating to various crimes: shoplifting, theft, and failing to appear at court. This follows on from 2023’s successes, which saw countless arrests and charges for shoplifting and retail-related crimes. The Bolton shoplifting team – which is comprised of new recruits being taught by seasoned officers – sees the younger officers deployed around Bolton for a five-week period, before moving on to further operations or patches. The new officers are able to see through a crime from arrest to charge and sentencing, helping them learn the basics of policing while tackling shoplifters. Bolton subsequently receives dedicated shoplifting officers, while the force benefits from officers being trained and tutored to a high crime-tackling standard.
The officers work closely with local stores and will use a radio that connects them to store security in the area they are patrolling, in order to be able to respond as quickly as possible. The work is further backed by a retail crime SPOC for the district, who will liaise with stores, GMP’s crime prevention team, and the force’s retail crime lead to ensure the best work is being done wherever possible. Sergeant Jess Prudence, from GMP’s Bolton district, said: “Our shoplifting team has been able to help stores by working closely with them to lock-up repeat offenders, provide prevention advice, and assist those in need by giving them the appropriate signposting. “Shoplifting is a problem that we are committed to tackling and I am sure that the team will continue to deliver throughout 2024.”
Introduction from Imam Shoaib Some of you may not be aware that there is an offering of support from Imam Shoaib who attends Scholey Street Station every Monday and welcomes anyone who wishes to speak with him. Below is a short introduction to the Imam and his experience together with the vital work he does. “I graduated from the prestigious muslim seminary Darul Uloom AlArabiyyah- Al- Islamiyah at Holcombe Bury in 1995 as an imam. “I have 20 years of experience as a Muslim chaplain having served at a number of establishments including HMP Kennet, HMP YOI Hindley and more recently HMP YOI Thorncross.
“I also have a role at Flowhesion Foundation (Charity organisation) which is primarily about shaping the communities we want to live in tomorrow. It’s about promoting community cohesion adhering to the rule of law, British values, individual liberty and mutual respect. “I oversee New Horizons programme that works with residents across 15 North West approved premises offering a range of rehabilitative services including counselling, buddying and welfare/advocacy. “I also hold a number of volunteer chaplaincy and advisory roles across Greater Manchester. “I’m a member of Greater Manchester Police’s Independent advisory group. I'm passionate about professionalism and lifelong learning. I also hold an MSc in safeguarding which I completed at UCLAN.
“I attend Scholey Street station every Monday and I welcome anyone that wishes to speak to me. Alternatively, my contact details are 07865 074 161 or email me shoaibvaka@yahoo.co.uk”