The focus of my message for this month’s brief relates to our Specialist Operations Branch.
The size and complexity of the City of Manchester is such that we could not deliver an effective policing response without the support of these teams. Whether it is the armed response vehicles patrolling the iconic sites in the city centre, the Tactical Aid Unit (TAU), or the dogs and mounted units supporting the public to safely exercise their right to protest.
We also work closely with colleagues in the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit (TVIU) and traffic policing the road network, and in and around our busy city centre and outer districts. The branch also has a specialist planning team for events and civil emergencies.
There isn’t a week that goes by on this district where we don’t receive support from our specialist operations colleagues and often this results in a supporting a significant threat or disrupting those seeking to commit crime on our district.
As we see our specialist operations colleagues in and around our district, please make sure that you take the time to make them feel welcome and build links with them as the closer we are working the better we can support our communities.
Thank you for your continuous hardwork and support,
Chief Superintendent Dave Meeney
Introducing PCSO of the Year - Dave Stirrup
On Friday 27 September 2024 the Chief Constable’s Annual Awards was held at Old Trafford Cricket ground.
We celebrated those who have gone above and beyond every day to ensure the safety, security, and wellbeing of our communities, showcasing exceptional dedication and commitment to their roles.
The winner of PCSO of the Year was PCSO David Stirrup – an officer who has worked tirelessly across the City of Manchester. He was awarded it for his tireless work to deliver on all allocated tasks, regularly adopting to supervisory roles and in particular, his work around child exploitation education which has made a significant difference throughout the city to ensure young people are safeguarded by local businesses.
We spoke to Dave about his award and what it means to him:
What’s your role at GMP?
“My ‘day job’ is a PCSO for Piccadilly Gardens in the city centre but I am also currently attached to the Violence Reduction and Exploitation unit based in Manchester town hall. Along with my normal role I am involved with Operation Makesafe which is Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) / Child Criminal Expoitation (CCE) training) and Operation Sycamore (knife crime operations in the city centre) which are both run from the town hall.”
How long have you been at GMP for?
“I started in GMP in 2017 where I did two years as a PCSO on the Travelsafe unt. Following this I moved to the town centre and have been based on Piccadilly Gardens ever since. Before joining I worked in retail and was a police volunteer on the Stockport division.
“Going forward there is plenty to still to do on Piccadilly Gardens especially around safeguarding young people. However, I would like to move into a civilian investigator role in the future.”
Can you describe the projects or actions that were highlighted in your nomination?
“Operation Makesafe has been a big part of my role in the last two years. I deliver training to city centre hotels and Metrolink transport staff around how to spot signs of CSE/ CCE and how to report this to the Police. I was able to be involved in the planning for the force wide roll out of this training. This has been the most fulfilling part of my job and will continue to be so.
“Then for Operation Sycamore I prepare and deliver the briefings, manage staffing and operate the radio hot desk during deployments. After each deployment I scan the feedback and enter intelligence on nominals and those at risk of CSE/ CCE.”
How does it feel to have won a Chief Constable’s award?
“It was a complete surprise to be nominated, let alone win. I still don’t know who put me forward, But thankyou whoever you are. The standard was very high and after reading the other nominees’ citations I didn’t think I would win.”
Who were you most excited to share your award with?
“The first person I sent a picture of the award was to my Sergeant Ian Haselden who supports and tolerates me in equal measure. I am always going to him with a bright idea or a course I want to go on and he has been fully supportive of anything I throw at him. Part of this award definitely belongs to him.”
Right Care, Right Person is here
As of Monday 30 September, the Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) initiative is now live across GMP.
RCRP is a national programme designed to identify when calls made to the police would be better directed to other agencies and partners, in order to provide the residents of Greater Manchester with the support that is best suited to their needs, from the most appropriate service, at the earliest opportunity. In addition to ensuring that people who are vulnerable or in crisis can be signposted to the resources they need in the first instance, RCRP is expected to free up officer hours by reducing the time police spend dealing with issues and incidents.
GMP has worked extensively with our regional partners, including housing and social care, healthcare providers, charities and community groups, to ensure that the rollout of RCRP is streamlined and well-resourced. FCCO call handlers and CRROs are able to access additional support from the project subject matter experts (SMEs) and team floorwalkers, who will be joined in the early stages of RCRP by our colleagues from the Metropolitan Police (which has already successfully launched RCRP) and Humberside Police (where the programme made its debut).
Practically speaking, GMP officers and staff outside the FCCO should not see any change to the way they work. Because RCRP is implemented at the call handling stage, and the responsibility of identifying and filtering cases which fall under RCRP lies exclusively with call handlers and CRROs, other teams and districts should not have any need to refer to RCRP principles during the course of their shift.
Introducing the programme to staff, GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson said: “Very often in policing we talk about initiatives which have a game-changing quality, and this is truly one of those. This is an initiative to make sure that going forward, we at GMP do not deal with things that are better placed with other agencies. That is the opportunity that confronts us now. Right Care, Right Person has the potential to be one of the most significant initiatives in recent years.”
If you’d like to learn more about Right Care, Right Person, you can access our online hub by scanning the QR code to the left or email the project team at RCRP@gmp.police.uk.
Mock trial exercise for trainee detectives
GMP’s crime training team and Manchester Metropolitan University law school bar training course have launched a new partnership which sees trainee detectives and student barristers train together in a mock trial case study.
Launched on Friday 27 September as part of GMP crime training’s trainee detective course, the mock trial exercise will be repeated every six weeks for different course groups. This novel approach focuses on improving courtroom skills and maximising how effectively officers give evidence through roleplaying as the officer in the case, attending officer, victim, witness or even the suspect.
Hosted in the very realistic courtroom facility at Manchester Metropolitan University’s law school, the programme, attended by approximately 20 of September’s trainee detectives, offers a unique opportunity for these detectives – many of whom are currently managing a number of active cases and preparing for real court appearances – to practise and refine their courtroom skills.
The training session was led by experienced practising criminal barrister Shirlie Duckworth, and the ‘judge’ in the case was Professor David McLachlan KC, who has extensive experience in prosecuting and defending a number of highprofile criminal cases at Manchester, Liverpool and Preston Crown Courts.
The interactive mock trial training session allowed the trainee detectives to work through a case study scenario, with feedback, discussion and learning throughout. The officers received expert guidance on how best to navigate various stages of a criminal trial – from pre-trial preparation and even how to stand and to whom to address responses, to delivering their evidence clearly and at appropriate pace – allowing the trainee detectives to refine these critical skills in a supportive environment.
The session included four student barristers as prosecutors and defence advocates, replicating actual practice, with the defence advocates robustly questioning the victim, witness and officers on their evidence. The detectives were able to experience being probed and challenged, and to practise how
to respond confidently and effectively.
Shirlie emphasised the importance of thorough preparation, advising the detectives to use their time wisely before entering the courtroom. “Know your stuff,” she said, stressing the significance of understanding all the case details thoroughly to confidently represent the victim, as well as GMP and the prosecution, in court.
David offered invaluable advice, encouraging officers to ‘own the courtroom’ and ensure they are always audible and clear to the jury. He said: “Watching a fair and well-prepared officer present their evidence is empowering from a jury’s perspective – it’s gold dust.”
Commenting on the training course, he said: “The more realistic you make it, the more it will help you.”
DC Les Crabtree, lead course trainer at GMP, highlighted the importance of mastering the basics of courtroom presence and evidence presentation, focusing on key areas such as:
• Being clear and confident with voice projection to ensure the jury can hear the detective over other noises in the courtroom.
• The significance of looking at the jury and using appropriate vocabulary to avoid feeding into any biases.
• Understanding the nuances of due process and recognising and understanding what evidence is admissible, as well as what may be inadmissible.
• Preparing for fair but challenging questioning but remaining calm under cross-examination.
All our trainee detectives left the session with a deeper understanding of their role and improved confidence in presenting their evidence in court when they are called to do so. This collaborative training course, which will continue to develop and improve, is set to become an invaluable part of preparing detectives for the challenges of courtroom proceedings. GMP crime training is looking to develop further options with MMU in the future, with options for ‘expert witness’ exercises for specialist officers who provide evidence of valuation of controlled drugs, as well as analyst and researcher evidence presentation training.
Operation Bunker
Following a GMP investigation into more than half a century of sexual abuse, an Atherton man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison.
Peter James Wilson pleaded guilty to three sexual offences involving children and was found guilty of a further 23 sexual offences relating to children and adults. He will be on the sex offenders’ register for life and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
Wilson’s patterns of abusive behaviour towards young people began in 1972, when he was just 14 years old, and persisted for the next 51 years. He subjected multiple male and female victims, both children and adults, to deeply traumatising experiences, ranging from inappropriate advances to devastating acts of coercion and rape.
Over the years his behaviour escalated; he continued to manipulate victims and take advantage of their trust until 2023, when one of his victims disclosed abuse and Wilson was arrested at his residence on suspicion of sexual assault involving a child. The arrest led to a search of Wilson’s property, which would reveal further evidence of his activities: among the items seized were two mobile phone devices and a camera, which were found to hold first-generation, type A indecent images of children.
The discovery of this material prompted the team to interview
more witnesses and take further evidence. This in turn led to the discovery of a number of additional victims of Wilson’s abuse and the launch of Operation Bunker, headed by DC Emily McNeil and DC Lee Henderson, to investigate and manage the full range of his crimes.
The officers’ dedication and relentless investigation of Wilson’s crimes, along with the continuous support and compassion offered to his victims, were integral to uncovering the full extent of his abuses.
DS Joanne Sweeney of GMP’s Wigan district, who supervised the running of Op Bunker, said: “I would like to thank all the victims and their loved ones for their co-operation and support throughout this difficult investigation. We commend every one of them for their bravery and strength which has brought Wilson to justice after years of abuse. Throughout the investigation we have ensured those involved receive and will continue to receive the best support from our officers and support services to ensure they are able to rebuild and cope with the trauma they have been subjected to because of Wilson’s horrific crimes.
“I would also like to acknowledge the hard work that has taken place by DC McNeil and DC Henderson who have worked tirelessly to ensure the victims of these crimes have been supported whilst securing a positive outcome following their bravery.”
On Friday 27 September, GMP celebrated the outstanding achievements of colleagues across the force at our Chief Constable’s Annual Awards 2024.
The event, held at Old Trafford Cricket Ground and hosted by BBC Radio Manchester presenter Mike Sweeney, brought together more than 200 staff, officers and volunteers who were nominated. The event was a fantastic opportunity to recognise the outstanding efforts and dedication of our colleagues over the past year. Each nominee has demonstrated exceptional commitment and service to the community, the force, and each other, embodying the very best of our force’s values.
We want to congratulate all our winners – it’s no small feat to be recognised out of over 12,000 colleagues. Your dedication, hard work and outstanding contributions have made a real difference across the force and Greater Manchester.
Team of the year: VERA
The Visual Evidence Retrieval and Analysis (VERA) unit is a specialist team within GMP, renowned for its expertise in the trawl, retrieval and analysis of CCTV and other visual evidence. By pinpointing movement, forensic, financial, and identification opportunities at the outset of investigations, VERA ensures that the crucial ‘golden hours’ of an investigation are maximised, allowing investigation teams to concentrate on pertinent inquiries. This approach leads to swifter positive outcomes in some of the most heinous crimes and upholds GMP’s positive reputation within the community.
Reactive operation of the year: Operation Vestige
Operation Vestige focused on the investigation into the murder of
Liam Smith, who was found dead in Shevington on November 24, 2022.
A thorough review of intelligence and leads traced Liam’s death to Michael Hillier and Rachel Fulstow. The investigation, led by the Major Incident Team (Syndicate 7) and supported by various specialist units, involved hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, phone records, and forensic analysis. The dedication and professionalism of the team, including CSI, cybercrime experts, and forensic specialists, were highlighted as essential to securing justice for Liam.
Proactive investigation of the year: Operation Drever
Operation Drever targeted a Salfordbased organised crime group (OCG) involved in drug trafficking and firearms offences, led by Nathan Vanden. Despite fleeing to Holland in 2019, Vanden coordinated violent crimes in the UK using encrypted phones. The investigation, in collaboration with multiple law enforcement agencies, intercepted firearms and drugs, ultimately leading to Vanden’s arrest and extradition. Vanden was sentenced to 26 years, with six OCG members receiving a combined 58 years.
PCSO of the year: PCSO Dave Stirrup Dave, who is part of the Violence Reduction and Exploitation team in the City of Manchester, has been recognised for his key role in coordinating and delivering Operation Sycamore over the past year. He has taken on a supervisory role, managing briefings, patrolling, and intelligence reviews. Dave has also led the Operation Make Safe training, educating hotels on spotting signs of child sexual exploitation (CSE). His work has expanded forcewide and into the transport sector, enhancing awareness and safeguarding efforts around Greater Manchester.
Special officer of the year: Jemma Mallon Jemma joined GMP as a Special Constable in 2020. In 2022, she became part of the neighbourhood beat officer (NBO) team at Heywood, where she is a school-based officer. In the last year, she has completed 360 hours of
service: more than double the expected commitment. Jemma has strengthened connections between schools and the NBO team, helping at-risk youth and providing safeguarding support; she also identified and addressed an emerging youth violence issue, leading to the identification of 30 youths and the opening of a PRB (the iOPS equivalent of a problem-solving record).
Volunteer of the year: Lynne Wilkinson
Lynne has been a volunteer with GMP’s Economic Crime Unit’s Scambuster team for five years. She leads fraud prevention events across Manchester, educating vulnerable community members about fraud and cybercrime and providing advice and support to victims. Recently, Lynne worked on Operation Wage, reducing community fraud by 50% and victim numbers by 20%. She also helps protect victims of telephone and doorstep crimes by securing call-blocking devices and cameras, partnering with Trucall and Trading Standards to provide these services for free.
Problem-solving: Insp Natasha Bryan
Insp Natasha Bryan has played a key role in implementing the 12-district Prevention Hub model, recognised nationally as best practice. She was commended for her innovative work in problem-solving, particularly in reducing repeat missing person incidents from care homes, which decreased by 19.6% and saved over £4.5 million in officer hours as a result of Natasha’s efforts. Her contributions were instrumental in GMP’s ‘Good’ grade for crime prevention in the 2023 HMICFRS PEEL inspection.
Innovation: AtHoc
A team developed an initiative which uses geoalerts in the AtHoc platform to alert armed response officers about nearby domestic violence protection orders (DVPOs), providing key details and enabling welfare checks and offender compliance monitoring. Since its launch, the initiative has created 1,255 DVPO geo-fenced locations, resulting in 680 visits and 13 arrests for breaches. Recognised by HMICFRS as ‘Promising Practice,’ this approach has garnered interest from the College of Policing and won a national risk award in November 2023.
Unsung hero: Sedgley Park security team
The Sedgley Park security team won the Unsung Hero award for their exceptional commitment to maintaining safety and security at Sedgley Park. Their dedication to managing high-profile visits, ensuring a secure environment and supporting the local community has earned them high praise. The team’s willingness to go above and beyond, often acting as both security and customer service, exemplifies their hard work and community spirit.
Bravery: PCs Colin Harrison,
Joseph Dearnaley and Nicholas Leach, Tactical Aid Unit, Specialist Operations
In October 2023, the Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) officers attended a call to Salford Quays, where a woman had entered the water. There were no life support rings
in the immediate vicinity, so the team attempted to bring the woman to safety using emergency rescue lines, but this was unsuccessful. Nicholas and Joseph entered the freezing cold water to help the woman, who by this point was unable to assist in her own recovery.
PC Harrison, the designated TAU team leader, maintained command and control and ensured both officers had emergency rescue lines. The woman was safely recovered from the water and her life was preserved.
Sir John Zochonis awards
As a force, GMP works closely with The High Sheriff’s Police Trust in Manchester, which provides continuous support to our awards; in particular those which recognise the efforts of our voluntary police cadets. These awards, given in memory of the philanthropist Sir John Zochonis, recognise the exceptional contributions of our cadets who have gone above and beyond in embodying the values of integrity, teamwork and public service. Their achievements reflect the spirit of service that Sir John Zochonis championed.
This year’s Sir John Zochonis Awards went to Cadet Leader of the Year Dave Roscoe, Cadet of the Year Jack Makinson and Cadet Unit of the Year Tameside.
Overall winner: VERA – Op Harker
Every year, we have a surprise entry for our ‘overall winner’ category. This goes to an individual or team that has exceeded all expectations and is making a significant impact in their field. Their contributions set a new standard of excellence, and they have truly distinguished themselves as the best among their peers. This year’s award goes to VERA. In April, human remains were discovered in Salford. For almost two weeks, despite extensive searches and forensic examination, we were unable to ID the victim and had no definitive lines of inquiry.
VERA identified, tracked and located a suspect, enabling the investigation team to make arrests, recover more remains and identify the victim. Quite simply, VERA cracked this case.
‘Stirling’ work from GMP’s judo squad
The Manchester Fighting Spirit Judo Club, GMP’s medalwinning judo team based at the Hough End Centre, travelled to Stirling in Scotland for the annual Police Sports UK (PSUK) National Police Judo Championships 2024.
Police Scotland did a superb job hosting the championships at the Peak Sports Centre, with experienced British Judo Association table officials and referees – including GMP’s own Wyn Williams, a black belt (Dan grade) in judo himself and proud member of Manchester Fighting Spirit.
First into action were PC Paul Carmody and club coach Insp Mark Montrose, both in the under 100kg men’s Dan grade category. Mark, who won the category in 2013, fought valiantly against former winners and an international judoka, but couldn’t roll back the years to truly challenge, settling for bronze in a packed group. Paul was just outside of the weight category to compete in the under 90kg, so bravely entered the under 100kg Dan grades; however, the weight difference would prove too much for a determined Paul, pushing him out of the medal spots. Mark would go on to successfully defend his Master’s title and win the gold, making this his eighth national title.
Next up for GMP was CoM DS Chris Webster, who put on his usual warrior display and pushed a category full of international talent to produce their best judo. Chris’s determination and skill secured him the veteran men’s under 81kg Dan grade bronze medal.
PC Nina Davies stepped onto the mat after over 10 years away from competition. The ring rust prevented Nina from challenging for the gold, but the more the day went on the better she looked. She was creating lots of problems for her rivals, who were quick to compliment Nina on her technically impressive judo. Nina was enjoying being back in competition and quickly entered herself into the women’s open grade, open weight competition, securing a well-earned bronze medal in both categories.
Next up was the turn of the Kyu (beginner) grades;
representing GMP were student PC Tobiasz Klejbach, student PC Martin Zamecnik and PC Michael Froggatt in the under 90kg and Sgt Andrew Dixon for the under 100kg. All three displayed judo proficiency at a level that overcame even experienced opponents.
Mark Montrose commented: “This is probably the best group of Kyu grades I’ve taken to the national championships in the last 18 years. They are a credit to GMP. They have trained so hard in practice; I just knew this group weren’t at the championships to make up the numbers – they were chasing medals. I am extremely proud of both their commitment to GMP judo and the way they have conducted themselves at the event.”
Tobiasz put on a flawless display of judo to secure both the under 90kg Kyu gold medal and the Kyu open grade and weight, proving that judo is a skill which enables a smaller competitor to defeat a larger opponent.
Tobiasz said: “I am so proud to have been given the opportunity to represent GMP at the championships! Winning both gold medals is special, as I have never won a gold medal before. I want to thank my coach Mark Montrose and the team at Manchester Fighting Spirit Judo Club, for improving my judo. I would encourage all student officers to get involved in judo.”
GMP firearms officer PC Michael Froggatt would secure the silver medal at under 90kg Kyu with some spirited judo. The bronze medal was taken by student PC Martin Zamecnik, who blended his jiujitsu skills seamlessly with his judo to cause more than a few problems for all his opponents.
GMP transport Sgt Andy Dixon narrowly missed out on gold and battled his way to the silver medal in the over 100kg Kyu grades – a particularly impressive feat, as Andy is relatively new to judo. Chasing all the experience of competition he could get, Andy entered the Kyu open weight and grade, securing a brilliant bronze medal.
Next year’s competition will take place in Kent. If you are interested in representing GMP, or if you would like to learn judo for fitness or personal safety, contact mark.montrose@gmp. police.uk for more information.
To get involved in any of the many police sporting sections you will need to be a member of the Sports and Social for only £7 per month. Membership also provides discounts for shopping, days out, entertainment, restaurants, gyms around the force and other great benefits. You can speak to your district’s local Sports and Social representative about joining the club, or the membership form is available online at www. gmpsportsclub.com/Membership-Forms.aspx.
d/Deaf and hard of hearing awareness sessions
The d/Deaf and hard of hearing staff support network is hosting four deaf awareness sessions following the feedback and response received last year.
The sessions, which are aimed at GMP’s operational staff, will include a whistlestop tour of the British Sign Language alphabet and raise awareness of the day-to-day struggles that d/Deaf and hard of hearing people face.
The training is provided by Ayesha Communications, and will run on the following dates between 9am and 1pm:
11 October: FHQ, Room 515
24 October: Sedgley Park Library
4 November: FHQ, Room 515
18 November: FHQ, Room 515
Places are strictly limited to 30 people per session. To book your place, please email ddeafandhardofhearingsupportnetwork@gmp.police.uk.
As always, please contact the d/Deaf and hard of hearing network should you need any support or advice on your own diagnosis or that of a member of your team.
The d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing staff network aims to support those who experience hearing loss or deafness, as well as those whose children, parents, partners or loved ones are deaf or hard of hearing. The network works closely with d/Deaf communities across Greater Manchester to improve working practices and influence policies which affect d/Deaf and hard of hearing people.
Shooting for success
GMP’s clay pigeon shooting section has shot its way to victory at the Police Sport UK (PSUK) regional down the line shooting competition, where Sgt John Hannan of the Spec Ops road policing unit won the high gun after shooting 94 targets out of 100.
The GMP team went on to represent the force at the national police championships in a number of shooting disciplines, including sporting, skeet and down the line. At the nationals Sgt Hannan was presented with his high gun trophy by the chair of PSUK’s clay shooting section, ACC Dave Hartley of South Yorkshire Police (SYP). This year was a particularly technical shoot, with Northamptonshire Police taking gold in the sporting.
The shooting section always welcomes new members, and we are dedicated to encouraging underrepresented groups to the sport at a national level. While shooting as a sport is relatively male-dominated at present, there are some very talented women who can shoot exceptionally well – including SYP’s Linda Pearson (SYP), who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and holds the British and Scottish records in double trap shooting.
Those who are licensed, possess their own gun and a member of GMP Sports and Social can join immediately. For anyone who does not have a licence or a gun but is interested in learning more, the section’s membership includes instructors accredited by the Association of Professional Shooting Instructors and the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association, who can offer guidance and advice on all aspects of the sport; including how to apply for a licence and which types of gun and cabinet to consider. The team is also examining the possibility of holding ‘have a go’ days in the future for those who would like to try out the sport.
Shooting is a challenging and exciting sport to be involved in and team members will have the opportunity to represent GMP both regionally and nationally, as well as to shoot at some of the best grounds up and down the country. Please be aware that a large proportion of the shoots will be self-funded and not subsidised.
If you are interested, please email Sgt John Hannan at John. Hannan@gmp.police.uk or message team captain Graham Neild on 07770281176.
Operation Hampshire
Police officers and staff, particularly those in frontline roles, regularly have to deal with confrontation and aggression; and physical attacks while on the job are by no means unheard of.
It’s important to remember that any assault or hate crime that happens to you while you are on duty is a serious matter, and that being assaulted or abused is absolutely not ‘just part of the job’.
Sometimes when we experience a traumatic event – such as being assaulted or subjected to a hate crime – the full impact of what has happened doesn’t hit us until days or weeks afterwards. The psychological effects of being attacked at work are often more insidious, and can last far longer, than the physical injuries. Different people experience and respond to trauma in very different ways and with varying levels of resilience, formed by their own individual experiences; and there is no right or wrong way to experience trauma.
GMP recognises that the wellbeing of our officers and staff is paramount to maintaining a strong, effective police force, and we want to ensure that every officer or member of staff who is attacked while at work is treated like any other victim of a crime – that they have meaningful support, regular contact from the team investigating their case, and that the support that they receive has oversight at a senior level. Operation Hampshire is a national initiative offering the necessary strategy and guidance to help forces respond effectively to assaults on police officers and staff, enabling us to get the basics right for our colleagues when they need us most.
At the heart of Operation Hampshire is a seven-point charter that continues to guide our approach:
1. Assaults on police officers and staff should be investigated with the same care, compassion and commitment as an assault on a member of the public.
2. The Victims’ Code of Practice (VCoP) applies to all victims of crime, including police officers and staff.
3. The assaulted officer must never be the officer in charge (OIC) for the investigation into their own assault.
4. Victims recover better and more quickly if they receive appropriate support.
5. The supervisor must ensure that the district commander or head of department is informed to provide continuity of welfare support.
6. The victim of the assault and/or the line manager should ensure that Form 700B is completed as soon as possible after the event and sent to the Health and Safety Unit.
7. To achieve a successful prosecution, the best evidence should be provided.
By taking assaults on our personnel seriously, we send a clear message: an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and it will not be tolerated.
Find out more
You can learn more about Operation Hampshire on College Learn at https://www.learn.college.pnn.police.uk/CL/Content/ Summary/46938. The course takes around 47 minutes and covers the essential elements, rationale and benefits of Op Hampshire.
We have launched a dedicated intranet hub for Op Hampshire, including information and resources for victims of crime, their supervisors and SLTs, which you can view by scanning the QR code.
Don’t feel helpless when it comes to assaults
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 26,805 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 October, City of Manchester had 3,810 subscribers across the district, and these can be
broken down to:
• City of Manchester North – 1,442
• City of Manchester Central - 771
• City of Manchester South – 1,597
Over the past three months, across City of Manchester there’s been a steady stream of communities signing up to the platform with 74 new users in July, 328 in August and 241 in September respectively.
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/ Holly Pritchard.
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 Rash Siddiquee rashed. siddiquee@gmp.police.uk
For support with content or requests for posters for communities, please get in touch with Jess Allen-Millbank jessica. allen-millbank@gmp.police.uk and Holly Pritchard holly.pritchard@gmp.police.uk.
Introducing Corporate and Media Imaging
The corporate communications branch is the bridge between the force, it’s employees and the public.
The branch deals with all internal and external communication with employees and the media.
Our main goal is to support operational policing and to enhance public confidence. The branch is located on the ground floor at Greater Manchester Police Force Headquarters (GMPFHQ).
The role of Corporate and Media Imaging (CMI) is to provide a wideranging imaging service to enhance GMP’s communication both externally and internally.
CMI ensures GMP has the still and moving images that actively promote its work both to the communities it polices and to a wider national and even international audience.
CMI are based in Corporate Communications, Ground Floor, Force Headquarters and are responsible for:
• Photography services – the team produces all the images for the Force, including the Brief magazine, the Intranet and external website. (All requests must be sent via the form attached).
• Video content – the team films, produces and edits all of the internal and external film within GMP to an exceptional standard. We also provide broadcaststandard footage to news channels.
• Image bank photo library – they administer the significant image bank which gives all GMP officers and staff access to appropriatelysized, high-quality corporate images.
• Flickr account – the team is responsible for maintaining the photo-sharing website account that leads the way in UK policing.
• Social media – they provide photos for Twitter, Facebook and Flickr, allowing Neighbourhood Policing Teams to also share corporate images to their followers.
• Police Museum and Archives –they help to curate the extensive archive of images, transfer them to digital form and promote them via GMP’s social networks.
• News stories and appeals – CMI edits images for use in the media and also edit CCTV footage appeals.
• YouTube – they administer GMP’s account for video-sharing. Below you can see a selection of recent images taken by the team. If you need any support, please don’t hesitate to contact them on corporate.mediaimaging@gmp.police. uk.
Focus on Complex Safeguarding Hub
Thanks to a lengthy investigation by the Complex Safeguarding team, 38-year-old Weldik Diogo was recently charged with nine offences.
These included rape of a female under 16, sexual assault and supply of class A & B drugs.
In April 2024, the offender met with two vulnerable 15-year-old girls, to whom he gave alcohol and drugs, before taking them back to his home address in the Hulme area of Manchester where he raped and abused them. The girls were eventually able to escape the address and seek help from one of their parents, which resulted in police being called and the male being arrested.
During the Police Interview he then went on to admit sexual contact but tried to imply that he believed this to be consensual.
On Friday 6 September 2024, DIOGO was charged with these offences and will appear at Manchester Magistrates on 24 October 2024 for his first hearing.
Two officers from the Manchester Complex Safeguarding Hub, DC Emma Davidson and PC Lisa Valentine, played key roles within the Investigation and without their dedication they may have been unable to achieve the support of the CPS to charge this offender. They supported the victims, securing accounts and forensic evidence.
We had the opportunity to speak with them about the investigation and incident:
Can you tell us a bit more about the case? Who reported the incident?
The case involved two vulnerable victims, one of which is one of the HUB’s most vulnerable victims on the city of Manchester district, who had
been involved in significant concerns for over 18 months. The second victim was known to the Complex Safeguarding team in Oldham at the time of the offence.
Both victims had been reported missing in their respective districts at the time. One of the victims rang her mother and informed her about the situation, the other victim was unconscious at the time of the call. The mother of the victim then rang the police, and together they were able to locate the victims.
Were there any challenges? How did you overcome them?
The investigation had some challenges. For instance, the perpetrator declared that the sexual acts had been consented. In addition, one of the victims had no memory of the incident due to what the offender had given her.
Therefore, we had to gather as much evidence as possible that would assist in supporting the accounts and the information the victims were able to provide to us and therefore refute the claims of the offender.
A lot of forensic work was done during the investigation, which included blood and urine samples. In these samples, large amounts of alcohol, cocaine and cannabis were found. How do they feel about the outcome of the situation?
The team is happy that they were able to achieve a positive outcome and that this offender would be charged for the offences he has been accused of, which should at least help the victim and hopefully offer them some form of justice. However, we now need to secure a conviction at court.
Both the victims are now doing
considerably better. The victim from the City of Manchester district, who has had some significant struggles and has been on a considerably difficult journey over the last 18 months, is now back in education and has a core team of professionals supporting her.
Detective Inspector Chris Chadderton from the City of Manchester Complex Safeguarding Hub said: “PC Lisa Valentine has gone above and beyond in her work with the victim and her family. She provided ongoing support, including daily meetings, and for a long time, I believe Lisa felt this was her sole focus each day. Thankfully, the victim has made significant progress, and this outcome should offer both her and her mother reassurance that we have always kept ploughing on for her.
“In addition, DC Emma Davidson has worked tirelessly to pursue crucial lines of enquiry, maintaining regular consultation with the CPS, firmly insisting that they consider the necessary steps to secure these charges. Emma was confident that the evidence she had gathered provided strong corroboration in support of the victims.”
One year of Operation Vulcan Piccadilly
Over twelve months, the intelligenceled operation has targeted the most prolific offenders to remove drugs and weapons off the streets.
To date, there has been 333 arrests, 1000s of snap bags of cocaine and cannabis and 100s of weapons have been seized, while there has been a focus on safeguarding, rehabilitation and restorative justice which has meant 95 care plans have been submitted to partners to ensure the most vulnerable
are protected.
Since the operation launched, there’s been a 20% reduction in reports of theft from person, and most notably, a 56% reduction in stalking and harassment, as a result of targeted, high visibility and covert patrols – showing the criminals there is no where to hide in Piccadilly Gardens.
Further tactics such as covert officers, weapon sweeps, joint days of action, and high visibility patrols have
prevented violence and reduced crime.
Notably, a successful undercover operation in Piccadilly Gardens, targeting drug crime, saw 24 alleged drug dealers arrested. Since the early morning raids in May 2024, there’s been almost 30 years’ worth of jail sentences secured, and 40 years of Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs), with more to come.
Further information on the operation can be found via the GMP website.
