This month’s focus is response policing and the incredible work done by our response teams.
Often the first port of call for many emergencies across Greater Manchester, response teams are based across the districts to ensure our communities can be supported 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
They work tirelessly to maintain public safety and trust; and their commitment and professionalism is crucial in making sure that the public feel secure, knowing help is always just a call away. The response policing role can be physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. The calls they receive can range from someone being seriously injured, to dealing with someone in distress or a report of a high-risk missing person.
In the past year alone, response teams have tackled hundreds of thousands of urgent incidents, however the work of response officers extends beyond just attending incidents. Often being the first on the scene, they play an important role when it comes to supporting communities who they often meet at a difficult point in their lives –being a victim of an incident, a witness or just needing support at a time of crisis.
Building community relationships and engaging with the public is a key part of being a response officer, with many beginning their careers in response roles due to the challenges and rewards it presents. This frontline experience is invaluable, shaping them into well-rounded professionals equipped to handle any situation.
The focus on next month’s message will be a look at our Major Investigation Teams (MIT) and the way that district officers can support in the first moments of an investigation.
There were a lot of highlights for the City of Manchester in 2024.
As we embark on the New Year, we have looked back at some of the successes of the last 12 months.
Towards the beginning of the year we celebrated Inspector Kam Hare who received a King’s Police Medal during the 2024 New Year Honours List and noted it was the ‘highlight of his 33-year policing career’. He received the accolade for his extensive work across public-order policing, acting as the community lead for multiple major and critical incidents and large-scale events in Manchester city centre, including various protests, Pride and the Christmas markets.
March saw the celebration of Chinese New Year in the city centre – neighbourhood officers gave out crime prevention advice alongside the Economic Crime Unit with advice being offered in English and Mandarin. Operation Sycamore also continued to tackle violent crime and robberies across the village which saw a reduction in the third quarter of 2023 in comparison to 2022.
March also saw City of Manchester welcome 16 new student officers who started their tutorship period on district and are working towards an official qualification while on duty. One of these is Sarah O’Toole who was introduced in the August edition of the District Brief and she was asked about her motivation to join the police as well as her first beat.
April saw the first ever child protection Operation AVRO launched across the force and across City of Manchester specialist behaviour detection teams were deployed to hotspots across the force with a focus on reducing youth violence. Complex Safeguarding teams also delivered several workshops in local primary and secondary schools, discussing important topics such as health relationships, staying safe online, and how criminal gangs look to exploit young people.
The bank holiday saw an extremely busy Manchester City Centre with the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run and Manchester City trophy bus parades on the same day. Officers and staff worked tirelessly to ensure the events ran seamlessly and the thousands of people who descended on the city centre felt
safe and supported as they enjoyed the day.
The summer concluded with PCSO David Stirrup being nominated for (and subsequently winning) PCSO of the Year thanks to a successful initiative he launched in Piccadilly Gardens focusing on ASB last summer as a response to several large scale, high-profile ASB and disorder incidents which involved young people. PCSO Stirrup not only identified the perpetrators, but he linked with partners to solve the issue with the purpose of not criminalising or prosecuting any offenders.
Over the Bank Holiday weekend, neighbourhood officers across the city facilitated Manchester’s annual Pride event to ensure visitors could have fun and keep safe while they celebrated.
A memorial service was held to remember our colleague PC Raj Ahmed who was tragically killed 25 years ago on Friday 31 August 1999. Friends, family, and colleagues came together to pay tribute and recognise the sacrifice he made while in the line of duty.
Operation Vulcan Piccadilly hit a major milestone in September with a year since it was implemented into the city centre, targeting the most prolific offenders to remove drugs and weapons off the streets. In just one year, the operation made 333 arrests, seized 1000s of snap bags of cocaine and cannabis and 100s of weapons.
The year ended with Operation AVRO returning to the city centre which saw 62 arrests and more thank £20k of drugs seized. Warrants took place in Openshaw, Moston and Wythenshawe, with a vast quantity of stolen goods being seized and a traffic operation which saw officers identify 219 traffic offences.
A new retail crime team was also established primarily focusing on the Arndale Shopping Centre to tackle the increasing issues of retail crime and antisocial behaviour. Made up of 40 student officers, they have already made an impact leading to an increase in arrests and stop searches.
Operation Invigor at GMP
GMP’s Commercial Vehicle Unit has been running operations as part of the national Operation Invigor, which aims to crack down on organised immigration crime.
Over a series of dates in November and December 2024, the team patrolled the M62 corridor and Thornham island area, using thermal and telescopic cameras to search voids inside HGV and LVG trailers and detect heat sources which could indicate the presence of clandestine entrants into the United Kingdom..
In December, the team checked more than 60 HGVs
registered to foreign entities; where relevant, drivers were issued fines for vehicle defects and load offences, and one vehicle was seized after it was found to be uninsured. Op Invigor investigations detected two HGVs with holes cut in the roofs leading to voids large enough to conceal people: intelligence on these vehicles has been submitted.
Sgt Neil Dalley commented: “I’m very pleased with the action so far – and I have just had confirmation we can extend the operation until April 2025, committing to two operations per month on the M62 corridor and Manchester Airport.”
Calling all officers – your experience in mental health interactions matters
If you’re a police officer with more than one year’s experience, and you often encounter members of the public in severe mental health distress, we want to hear from you!
Police officers are frequently called upon to interact with individuals experiencing mental health crises, often doing so with minimal training in this area. These interviews aim to build a broader understanding of your knowledge, experiences and opinions on these interactions.
Interviews will be conducted through Microsoft Teams at a time that works best for you and should take around an hour, depending on how much you would like to share – rest assured, you won’t be asked to share details about specific incidents.
Your participation will contribute to better training and support for officers in the future. If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please contact Carolina at ccampodonico@uclan.ac.uk.
Right Care, Right Person: three months in
Phase 1 of GMP’s Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) initiative, which was introduced on 30 September for all concern for welfare calls, has now been fully implemented across Greater Manchester.
To support this transformational change across the force, several measures have been put in place to embed the approach successfully across the partnership, including:
• A strategic and tactical oversight group, chaired by Deputy Mayor Kate Green, to oversee implementation and identify areas of key learning.
• Subject matter experts and floorwalkers providing ongoing support to call handlers as they transition to the new assessment tool.
• Colleagues visiting from the Metropolitan Police and Humberside Police in the first two weeks of RCRP to share their knowledge and support call handlers. Ongoing best practice and learning continues across other force areas.
• Daily partner huddles in the first two weeks to ensure partners had a forum to share key themes, issues and impact on their services.
• Effective escalation processes in place to dispute deployment decisions.
While we are still in the early stages, GMP is already seeing a significant impact on our performance, resulting in an improved service to our residents. The introduction of RCRP has allowed the force to deliver its core policing duties more effectively, freeing up officer time to focus on fighting crime and protecting the most vulnerable individuals in our communities. In its first quarter in operation, the initiative has seen:
• An average reduction of 20% in concern for welfare deployments where callers have been signposted to a more appropriate service.
• A 59% reduction in Grade 1 and Grade 2 queues.
• GMP’s fastest Grade 1 and Grade 2 attendance in two years. The force has committed to redeploying the resulting efficiency savings to strengthen its neighbourhood policing
model. The additional capacity this offers will result in an increase in visibility, building community trust as well as enabling district teams to better tackle neighbourhood crime and the key priorities set by communities in their neighbourhood. Meanwhile, the force is closely monitoring its other service areas to build a holistic understanding of the impact of RCRP.
We have maintained close relationships with our partners and stakeholders throughout the development and rollout of RCRP; to date feedback has been positive, with no significant impact on partner services reported.
North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has reported a 61% decrease in calls from GMP relating to mental health incidents now that GMP call handlers have a more appropriate pathway to signpost those in crisis. While the NHS non-emergency 111 helpline service has reported an increase in calls from GMP, this was anticipated well in advance and the service has confirmed it has the necessary resources in place to respond to this increase.
Walking and talking for mental health
On Saturday 28 September officers from GMP and the Code 9 support group took part in a men’s mental health ‘walk and talk’ event with officers from the men’s health team at West Mercia Police.
The officers completed an eight-mile walk around the Carding Mill Valley area of Shropshire and talked about how their respective forces dealt with wellbeing. The walk finished at a local café, where a few good ideas were discussed and exchanged over coffee and cake.
In planning the event, the team knew they wanted it to take place outside; as spending time outdoors has been proven to reduce the risk of mental health problems developing. Walking is one activity that people can engage in to improve both their physical and mental wellbeing, and has been proven to boost
self esteem and regulate our emotions.
The event was a great success and GMP is looking to host West Mercia officers with a walk in the Greater Manchester area early in the new year.
Sgt Stu Charlesworth from Code 9 said: “It was great to meet up with like-minded officers from a different force to talk about wellbeing, and about how we can improve the welfare of officers. Everyone really enjoyed the day and despite the rain leading up to the event, the weather cleared on the day of the walk! We’re now planning to make this a regular event and if successful, in the future we’ll be inviting other forces to join us.”
If you’re interested in taking part in the next walk or would like further details, contact Stuart on 09351@gmp.police.uk or Tom Hall at 17202@gmp.police.uk.
Stem cell registration drive at FHQ
On Wednesday 20 November GMP force headquarters welcomed two amazing charities: representatives from DKMS, the UK’s largest stem cell donor register, were present for a donor registration drive to encourage people to join the lifesaving register; while The Christie, one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, promoted its fundraising endeavours and vital research into new techniques and treatments for cancer.
The charities were invited following DS Jay O’Connell’s story about his father Chris O’Connell’s experience as a recipient of a stem cell transplant and the extra years it gave him. Chris, who was a constable with Lancashire Police, sadly passed away in August 2024 after battling lymphoma cancer for many years. Chris received support from both DKMS and The Christie over the course of his illness and was determined to give back by fundraising and raising awareness of the important work they do; Jay is now continuing that legacy. A big thank you to DS Jay O’Connell and DS Dan Woods for organising this fantastic event, which resulted in 50 GMP employees registering on the stem cell donor register and
raising £394 for The Christie. The DKMS Donor Registration Drive is off to Nexus House next. If anyone else in GMP would like to host DKMS for a donor registration event, please get in touch via ctpnw. communications@gmp.police.uk.
GMP Male Voice
Choir
GMP Male Voice Choir (GMPMVC) was founded in June 1974 with little more than a dozen members. For the first two decades or so of its existence, the choir consisted solely of serving police officers, but as the years passed it began to open its ranks to members of the public who had been appropriately vetted.
At its largest, the choir had more than 40 active members; even now it still musters up to fifteen singers for concerts locally and elsewhere in the UK, as well as overseas. It still retains one original founding member, while a few others have clocked up over 40 years of service – but new members are always welcome!
The choir has made several recordings, beginning in 1979, including an LP with British folk pop duo Brian and Michael –best known for their hit single ‘Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs (Lowry’s Song)’ – and another for the NSPCC titled ‘Coppers for Kids’. They were also delighted to accept an invitation from the late Queen Elizabeth II to sing on a CD in aid of the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen (RNMDSF), of which she was the patron, and now claim to sing ‘by royal appointment’.
Continued success in concerts has led to appearances on BBC and Granada Television as well as local radio, while our choristers’ handsome faces have also been seen on TV screens in Sweden and Finland. They have performed alongside artists including Frank Carson, Roy Walker, the Houghton Weavers, the Band of the Royal Marines, the United States Army Band, the White Russian Army Band (formerly the Red Army Ensemble) and the Bolshoi Arts Company.
The choir has been honoured to take part in many prestigious occasions, such as the triennial concerts for Cancer Research UK at London’s Royal Albert Hall from 2006 through to 2018, when the concerts came to an end. In that final year, GMPMVC was joined by its friends from Gothenburg Police Male Voice Choir and Cantorums Manskor in Sweden for a concert that members still talk about with pride today. They also appeared at Croydon’s Fairfield Halls in 2012 to celebrate the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. All of these concerts were recorded live and are available on DVD.
The choir celebrated its 45th anniversary with a cruise to the Norwegian fjords and performed two concerts to packed
houses while on board. It has given concerts in Sweden, Finland and Germany, always singing at least one item in the native language; reciprocal visits have been made by police choirs from each of these countries.
Its repertoire is very varied, covering from Handel to the Beatles with a great deal of variety in between. There is something for everyone, whatever their age or taste in music, and the concerts always include some comedy and ad lib humour which helps the choristers to make friends from all walks of life wherever they go.
If you’re interested in joining the choir, want to know more or would like to book the choir for a concert, you can find GMPMVC on Facebook, visit its website at www.gmpmvc.com or email the secretary at fpgmpmvc@gmail.com.
A day in the life: DS Natalie Danger, GMP band saxophonist
Attendees at GMP’s annual carol concert were treated to performances by GMP’s house band of numbers including Merry Christmas Everyone, A Christmas Scrapbook, and Without Fear or Favour: a piece composed specially for the 50th anniversary of the force.
Ahead of the event we spoke with DS Natalie Danger, who plays saxophone with the band, about her experiences.
How long have you been with GMP, and what is your role?
I’m a detective sergeant in the CID at Central Park. I joined GMP in 2019 through a Detective Direct Entry Scheme.
How long have you been a member of the GMP band? I joined the band in 2020, shortly after landing on division.
What inspired you to start playing your instrument, and how long have you been playing it?
I started playing the piano at around five, but I wanted to be able to play in a band. When I was 13 I began learning on to play with the county wind band while I was still in school. At university I played in musical theatre bands – we performed hits from musicals such as 42nd Street and Legally Blonde.
Do you have a favourite Christmas song to perform? Why does this song hold special meaning for you?
My favourite Christmas songs to perform are Sleigh Ride and
Carol of the Bells. We tend to play these songs at the end of a concert, because they provide an uplifting ending and everyone goes out humming the tune.
What has been the most memorable experience you’ve had performing in a band?
The most memorable experiences are definitely the GMP Christmas Concert in Manchester Cathedral. The band start rehearsing for the concert in August, which is very early for most people to start listening to Christmas music! All the members in the band put a lot of effort into it and the audience love the occasion.
How do you feel performing in the GMP concert adds to the spirit of the season?
It’s a great opportunity to bring officers together with their families and to be given recognition for all their hard work over the year.
If you could perform a duet or collaborate with any musician (past or present) for a Christmas song, who would it be and why?
If I had to collaborate with just one person, which is a difficult choice, it would have to be [UK singer-singwriter] Raye. She has a powerful message, her voice is amazing and she would definitely bring some jazz to the Christmas spirit!
HMIC praise for child protection at GMP
Greater Manchester Police has received positive recognition in a recent independent inspection of its child protection arrangements, marking significant progress in how we safeguard vulnerable young people across our region.
The National Child Protection Inspection was conducted by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) between July and August 2024. The resulting report, published in December 2024, rated GMP as ‘good’ or ‘adequate’ across all areas reviewed, in a testament to our ongoing commitment to putting victims at the heart of everything we do.
The inspection highlighted two areas where GMP is performing particularly well: our leadership of child protection arrangements and our work with safeguarding partners. Three other areas – responding to children at risk, assessing risk and making appropriate referrals, and investigating reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation – were rated as adequate.
The report noted the GMP’s strong oversight and understanding of performance, alongside our productive work with statutory safeguarding partners. It specifically praised our innovative approaches to protecting vulnerable children, including Operation Luka – which targets areas where children at risk of exploitation are known to gather – and our prevention work through Operation Addition, which has successfully reduced missing children reports by over 1,500 cases in a year.
The inspection recognised that today’s GMP has child protection as a clear priority, supported by a well-trained, talented and dedicated workforce specialising in this crucial area. Our complex safeguarding teams were highlighted for their effective daily information sharing and prompt action to protect children, while our Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) arrangements were praised for facilitating quick and appropriate information sharing with partners.
Alongside the main report, HMICFRS also released interim findings from its inspection of Greater Manchester’s complex safeguarding peer review process, which sees GMP work alongside strategic safeguarding partners to reduce criminal and sexual exploitation of children. This review found six areas rated as ‘good’ and six as ‘adequate’, further underlining our progress.
Det Supt Alex Bacon, GMP’s force lead for child protection and missing, said: “I had to hit the ground running on arriving at GMP, as the team had only received notice of the inspection the week before. I’ve worked in child protection for the majority of my career, so this area of policing is a real passion of mine.
“The HMICFRS review has given us a really strong foundation to build upon as we continue to strive towards improving our approach to child protection. I am looking forward to the challenge of addressing the areas for improvement and we already have plans in development. We cannot stand still in matters of child protection – we will always need to keep working to enhance our services, and we must continue to demonstrate that we are a force that places child protection at the top of our priorities.
“The support from GMP’s districts and branches has been incredible, and we could not have demonstrated our effectiveness to our child protection response without this collaborative effort.”
This report represents another milestone in GMP’s improvement journey, demonstrating how renewed leadership
and dedication from our workforce is delivering better outcomes for the communities we serve. Most importantly, it shows that victims, survivors, and vulnerable people can have increasing confidence in our service when they need us most.
The full report is available on the HMICFRS website and will help inform our ongoing work to protect children and young people across Greater Manchester.
Operation Luka
Op Luka, the city centre’s overarching response to tackling child exploitation, is a concerted multi-agency effort which sees police, the local authority, children and adult social services, early help practitioners, NHS staff and other key partners co-locate to bring their experience and expertise together to safeguard young people, disrupt exploitation and investigate criminality. In 2024, Op Luka enabled safeguarding referrals for 173 children in Manchester city centre and arrests of 29 alleged perpetrators; nine suspects have been charged and are now awaiting trial.
GMP has also been making use of innovative civil orders such as sexual risk orders, slavery and trafficking risk orders and child abduction warning notices, which impose strict conditions on offenders to allow us to effectively manage their movements to minimise future offending.
This programme also includes Operation Makesafe, whereby our neighbourhood officers also deliver bespoke training packages to hoteliers aimed at supporting business owners and employees to identify potential victims of child exploitation and, where necessary, how to alert police officers so they can intervene before any young person comes to harm.
Officers will also regularly conduct test purchases at hotels to check if staff can spot the signs of child sexual exploitation and take action to safeguard young people; if they fail, further training sessions are offered. In recent months, we’ve seen a real success with this operation, with increased support from hoteliers who are challenging inappropriate behaviour and reporting concerns to police.
GMP has been recognised nationally as one of the forces leading the way with Operation Makesafe. Officers have extended this training in the city centre, and it is now available for taxi drivers, bus drivers and ticket inspectors – all people who will often come into contact with young people who are at risk, and who are best placed to identify predatory behaviour and report it to police. City of Manchester district commander Ch Supt David Meeney said: “In recent years, we’ve taken strides in our journey to improve our response to child sexual exploitation, and we welcome this acknowledgement in the recent HMICFRS report.
“Our journey so far has seen us put a real focus on effective partnership work, and Operation Luka is the embodiment of this coming together. By co-locating key individuals within our Complex Safeguarding Hub, we are able to maximise our joint capabilities and bring together a variety of subject matter experts to yield positive results. This partnership work also means we’re able to increase our chances of identifying children who may be at risk of exploitation – either sexually or criminally, at the earliest possible opportunity.
“We endeavour to reach as many people in our communities as possible. By delivering bespoke inputs, we aim to help them identify the different ways exploitation can present itself in children by increasing their awareness and empowering them to report concerns to us so that we can act.”
Axon Photobook
Axon’s new Photobook function is now available at www. evidence.com.
Photobook aims to improve the management of evidence by streamlining the sharing capability for photographic evidence in cases. It enables users to collate up to 100 photographic images into a single PDF document and share it as part of a case.
Users can select relevant images for inclusion in the document and choose the order in which they are presented. The PDF document is then exhibited by the officer creating it and can easily be shared with the CPS.
In order to ensure the process of creating a Photobook is as simple as possible, users should:
• Store all evidential digital images on evidence.com
• Use the crime number as the request ID when sending community requests
• Use the crime number as the ID for all digital evidence on evidence.com
• Enter the exhibit reference number as the title
• Ensure the description field is updated with a description of what the photograph is
Support on using Photobook can be obtained from your local criminal justice hub. A how-to video guide, a comprehensive training guide and a training document have been produced to support the use of Axon Photobook, and can be accessed on the intranet via Operational support > Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) > Axon Photobook.
The release of Axon Photobook is being coordinated by the Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) project within the Digital Policing Programme (DPP), in co-ordination with the Criminal Justice and Custody branch. If you have any technical questions about Axon Photobook or DEMS, please contact the Digital Policing Programme at DPPCommunications@gmp. police.uk.
Domestic abuse protection orders
In December, in recognition of GMP securing its first domestic abuse protection orders (DAPOs), the Minister for Safeguarding Against Women and Girls Jess Phillips MP wrote to Det Supt Toby Facey and DS Steven Gardner thanking them and the force as a whole for their hard work getting the pilot up and running, and acknowledging the successful breach of order investigation that led to a custodial sentence.
Ms Phillips said: “I would like to thank you for the significant work your force has undertaken over the past few years to prepare for the launch of this new order. I understand that since launch on 27 November, you have obtained five DAPOs and that you have two DAPO applications in train. This is brilliant news, and I would encourage you to keep up the good work and continue to consider applying for a DAPN/DAPO in every domestic abuse case.”
She added: “I also understand that this DAPO was used to protect a victim of controlling and coercive behaviour, which reinforces to me how important this new tool is, as the victim would not have been able to be protected under the old regime of domestic violence
protection orders (DVPOs). This case is the perfect example of showcasing how the effective use of DAPOs can be a vital tool for policing and I commend every person who worked on this case for acting so quickly to protect this victim.”
Since the launch of the pilot in Bury at the end of November 2024, the district has already begun to see great results, with three of the eight live orders breached resulting in:
• One eight-month prison sentence for breach of order
• One 12-week prison sentence for not signing on in line with the order and possession of drugs which were found on arrest
• One £80 fine for failure to sign on Following the handing down of the eight-month prison sentence on Monday 6 January, DS Keith Galley commented: “The order was granted on acquittal at court where the offender was on trial for domestic abuse. This trial was discontinued due to the victim not supporting prosecution, but despite this we were able to apply for a DAPO to safeguard the victim.
“This order was served to the offender with instruction to attend a police station
to report their name and address within three days. The offender failed to do this and breached the order by attending the victim’s address on Christmas Day.
“On 26 December 2024, Bury front desk notified the team that the offender had not appeared in the timeframe given and the victim also called in to report that the offender had been at her address since Christmas Day. He was arrested on Saturday 4 January 2025 by Bury DAT. The offender was interviewed by E Relief response and admitted the breaches.
“This is a fantastic result and shows the force and victims just how effective a DAPO can be in safeguarding those who are subject to such abuse, even when they don’t want to support a criminal prosecution.”
The pilot has now been extended to Wigan, where it went live on 6 January. The district applied for its first two Domestic Abuse Protection Notices (DAPNs) on the same day and both were granted for six months, protecting the respective victims from further abuse. The pilot is scheduled to go live in the City of Manchester (CoM) district on Monday 17 February 2025, with the rest of the force following in due course.
New visual impairment protocol launched
Approximately 16,450 people across Greater Manchester are registered as having visual impairment, including blindness and partial sight loss.
In 2024, to support our continued investment in supporting our local communities, GMP’s Disability Support Network lead Sgt Kerry Smith introduced the protocol to the force at an event at GMP force headquarters on Monday 16 December, the final day of Disability History Month in the UK, inviting local stakeholders and members of the community to understand the protocol and hear from force leaders on what the implementation means.
Use of the protocol is determined by the service user; however, it adds a layer of security and assurance when visual identification of a police officer by their uniform or warrant card is not possible due to being blind, partially sighted or visually impaired.
The protocol can be used by anyone with a visual impairment to any degree, as well anyone who cares for or supports someone who is visually impaired.
The service user is safeguarded by allowing them to verify the identity of a police officer that has called at their address, before letting them into the premises. This verification is facilitated by the Force Contact Centre, either over the phone or by the attending officer using an agreed password.
There are two scenarios when the protocol can be used: the first is when the service user calls the police and they need to verify the identity of the officer that subsequently attends their address; while the second is when the service user needs to verify the identity of a police officer who has called at their address but did not initiate the visit. In the second scenario, the visit is either planned, such as a pre-arranged appointment, or it is unplanned, and they were not expecting the police to call at the address.
The force consulted with the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), FCCO and GMP’s Disability Support Network chair and DEI team during the development of the protocol.
Further information will be shared with key partners and will be advertised on the RNIB website, which is linked to other support sites designed for those who are blind, partially sighted, or visually impaired.
Thanks and praise from our community
‘I can’t thank him enough’
Child Protection Investigation Unit Officer Joseph Porter was thanked by the victim of an abusive relationship for his help in bringing the abuser to justice.
The victim said: “I have felt so supported and listened to by DC Porter. During the whole process DG Porter responded to my messages promptly and did everything he could to keep me up to date with any developments in the matter. I can’t thank him enough and he has restored my faith in the police. He is an amazing example of what a police officer should be.
“Please tell him that I deeply appreciate how professionally and thoughtfully and compassionately he has responded and communicated with me throughout what has been one of the worst times in my life.
“He has helped me feel safe and supported and has been a real lifeline to me when I felt as though I was sinking. I found him to be honest, polite and respectful as well as extremely
capable and knowledgeable.
Officer showed ‘overwhelming kindness’
Neighbourhood Beat Officer Damon Rostamian was praised for his efforts when he helped an elderly man who had fallen and broken his hip.
Unable to move and trapped between two parked cars in the pouring rain, the man was quickly soaked through whilst waiting for an ambulance.
An onlooker came across PC Rostamian, who was off duty and attending an appointment locally. After conducting a risk assessment, PC Rostamian managed to transport the man to the local A&E, after it became apparent that an ambulance wouldn’t get there for hours due to the weather.
The daughter of the man said: “Damon offered amazing support and his kindness was overwhelming. He made sure my mother was contacted and he even did a follow up call to my mother the next day, offering further support if needed, as my brother and I
were out of the UK when the incident occurred.
“I have spoken to Damon since returning from holiday and I was overwhelmed by the level of kindness and concern he showed and his offer of support if needed.
“Damon is an amazing character and I am certain this is evident in his work, and he is a true ambassador for GMP. It is humbling to come across such an individual and we will always be grateful to him for everything he did for my father.”
NPO was ‘a credit to the force’
Neighbourhood Police Officer Francesca Slattery was cited as a ‘credit to the force’ for her helpfulness and professionalism during a discussion about a possible breach of bail conditions.
The person who wrote in said: “This has been a stressful time for me and her help was much appreciated. She was a credit to the force.”
“Thanks for putting my mind at ease.”
Growing Bee in the Loop across City of Manchester
Bee in the Loop launched in March 2023 and our subscription numbers have grown substantially since then, thanks to the messages that have already been sent out by our workforce.
So far, across Greater Manchester 31,185 members have signed up to receive targeted messaging about the issues that matter the most to them in their communities, which are sent directly to them via email.
As of the beginning of January, City of Manchester had 5,204 subscribers across the district, and these can be broken down to:
• City of Manchester Central: 1,289
• City of Manchester North: 1,689
• City of Manchester South: 2,269
Over the past three months, across City of Manchester there’s been a steady stream of communities signing up to the platform with 523 new users in October, 784 in November and 626 in December.
Data graphs showcasing numbers
of Bee in the Loop subscribers spread across Greater Manchester as well as visual maps for City of Manchester showcasing subscribers can be requested via Jess Allen-Millbank. Keep up the great work and we look forward to seeing further members and interactions with the communities in the coming months.
If you have any questions regarding access to Bee in the Loop, please get in touch with Rashed.Siddiquee@ gmp.police.uk
For support with content or requests for posters for communities, please get in touch with Jessica. Allen-Millbank@gmp.police.uk.
Supporting the community in Longsight
Although we are now well into the new year, it is important to place a focus on the fantastic work that happened across the community towards the end of 2024.
On Wednesday 18 December, the Longsight neighbourhood team and officers who have been running the tuck shop, made a Christmas donation to a local charity, Muslim Hands - who provide hot meals to anyone in need, no questions asked.
PCs Marios Solomon, Katie Gilroy, Muhammad Kamran and Adam Duddridge from Longsight station, have been running the tuck shop over the course of the year.
Our officers donated a total of £1,200 to the charity - £600 to cover a full day of meal service, and a further £600 in
food parcels that were put together by hand by the team from goods bought from a local business.
Hashim Rizwan, an assistant at the Muslim Hands open kitchen, said: “I would like to say ‘thank you’ to the local police team for helping us out today. It’s the sort of encouragement that we need to keep the community project running.
“It was great to see the community come and see the police and engage with them in a really positive way. It encourages us that we are doing something good for the community, and the police have continued to support us which we are grateful for – and for investing into us.
“We supply 175 meals per day to the community, and they have really enjoyed seeing the police here giving
back to the community, I am so grateful.”
Inspector Cheston, from GMP Longsight, said: “Community engagement is an integral part of neighbourhood policing, and we continue to grow the way in which we interact with the public.
“The tuck shop that is run by the officers is both excellent to improve the well-being of our staff, who regularly rely upon it, but also gives us the opportunity to give back to the community by arranging events like this.
“The atmosphere at the event was truly heartwarming and great to be a part of, where members of the community, the charity and the police, all came together for a shared purpose of making sure nobody goes hungry.”
