Rochdale District Brief - June 2024

CHALLENGER TEAM

For June’s edition of District Brief, the focus is on ProgrammeChallengerGMP’s response to tackling organised crime and complex safeguarding.

The role of the team is essentially, to identify the district’s most dangerous organised crime groups (OCG) and come up with ways to disrupt them and make their lives of crime as difficult to lead as possible. This often means they need to be creative and work with neighbourhood teams as well as partners to tackle OCGs in whatever way is effective.

Challenger teams on each division are responsible for mapping, managing, and disrupting organised crime groups within each division using the 4P plan, which aims to reduce the level of serious and organised crime (SOC) and consists of the following: pursue, prevent, protect, and prepare.

Within Challenger, proactive operations are conducted by officers to disrupt and dismantle OCGs by using both covert and overt methods. These methods include conducting surveillance on individuals within the OCG and on occasion, working alongside the dedicated and technical surveillance units to assist. Challenger works closely with the intelligence and source handling units to develop intelligence around the OCG members and identify lines of enquiry into investigations. The intelligence unit will also assist in obtaining warrants for operations being ran by Challenger.

Thank you to our district Challenger teams, neighbourhood teams and partners who all work together to fight organised crime and protect our communities.

Who are the Rochdale Challenger team?

The team behind Rochdale Challenger are Detective Sergeant Gabes Gibson, Detective Sergeant Mark Lutkevitch, Detective Constable Chelsie Howarth and Detective Constable Nicola Deegan.

DS Gibson and DS Lutkevitch are experienced officers with a passion for tackling Serious and Organised Crime (SOC).

DC Howarth and DC Deegan disrupt organised crime groups (OCGs) through their work and thorough investigations and help bring about successful results.

DS Lutkevitch has been in the force 18 years and as part of his role, he picks up with internal partnerships that work alongside Challenger as part of the effort in disrupting and dismantling OCGs.

He says that he grew up on a council estate in Heywood and chose to join the police rather than the route of becoming a drug dealer, as many young men living on his estate did.

At 21, he joined GMP and worked on response. He also worked on intelligence before going back to response and then joining Challenger in around 2017.

DS Gibson joined the force in 2006 and worked on response before becoming a neighbourhood officer (NBO). He says he has a ‘thirst for dealing with serious and organised crime’.

The sergeants have a big workload to manage and often have to work reactively to any SOC threats in the district.

Challenger work alongside partners to disrupt and dismantle OCGs. Partners may include the local council, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), child services, adult services and more.

Neighbourhood teams also work alongside Challenger and play a vital role in helping to make it difficult for members of OCGs to operate.

DC Howarth said: “Working in Challenger is a massive challenge in itself, but the hard work that we put into investigations always brings amazing outcomes.

“We are tasked with dealing with issues related to organised crime, including drugs trafficking, firearms, modern slavery, human trafficking and criminal exploitation. Every day is different, you never know what you’re heading in to.”

DC Deegan said: “My role is to disrupt organised crime by targeting individuals and groups who commit some of the serious offences such as drugs supply and modern slavery. Every day is different; you don’t know what you might end up facing.”

Child protection conference promotes collaboration and learning

On Monday 13 May, GMP brought together key partners, agencies and subject matter experts to share valuable insights into how we can collectively improve and strengthen our response to child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester, ensuring best practice and effective collaboration are adopted across the whole force for all our communities to benefit from.

Since the formation in 2012 of Project Phoenix, a pioneering partnership collaboration between policing, local authorities and third sector partners aimed at protecting young people from abuse and exploitation, GMP and Manchester City Council have put a renewed focus on working in an effective partnership to ensure the delivery of outstanding service to victims and survivors. This was further refined by the establishment of the Complex Safeguarding Hub in 2018, which colocates key agencies; the launch of Operation Green Jacket in 2019; and the publication of ‘An assurance review of Operation Augusta’ in 2020.

Under Operation Green Jacket, which investigates offending against vulnerable young people in the South Manchester area in the early 2000s, GMP’s Child Sexual Exploitation Major Investigation Team (CSE MIT) and the city council collaborate to identify and trace victims and suspects, safeguard and support survivors, and pursue offenders. To date, the operation has resulted in 56 arrests.

As a partnership, we are fully

committed to protecting young people from harm and supporting them when they need our help the most. By colocating specially trained detectives and health and social care services, we have developed a comprehensive understanding of how each agency can contribute to our fight against child sexual exploitation, and ensure we are well positioned to use our collective powers to yield positive results sooner. Our proactive teams focus on closing gateways to exploitation by identifying and engaging with vulnerable young people to prevent harm and prosecute offenders.

The partnership also regularly meets with the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Operation Hydrant programme and the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), to ensure that the service delivered to victims and survivors is reflective of nationally recognised best practice.

ACC Sarah Jackson said: “What we have learnt through Operation Green Jacket, and from our continued work to combat child sexual exploitation in the city centre, is now cascading across our teams in Greater Manchester. In recent years, we’ve developed a robust framework, introduced district safeguarding hubs, and our relationships with partners, and the ways we work together, are going from strength to strength. The strength of these relationships not only elevates Greater Manchester as having one of the best responses to this issue, but also means that more victims are having their voices heard.

“Only through transparency and thorough review can we truly learn from the past, and I believe we have done that. I have full confidence in our teams of dedicated and passionate officers and staff who are all working incredibly hard to get justice for what victims have experienced.”

DCI Zed Ali, of the CSE MIT, said: “As a partnership, we have done a great deal of learning since the early 2000s – and, in fact, since 2012. We are committed to learning from the past and to putting victims and survivors at the centre of our investigations; so we developed comprehensive victim engagement strategies, which are considerate of the traumatic impact

these crimes can have in both the short and long terms.

“Before contact is made with a survivor, a multi-agency team – including subject matter experts – carefully considers what each agency knows about the individual to ensure they are offered a relevant package of support from the outset. Some choose to engage with the investigation immediately, while others are unsure or feel unable to at that time – in these cases, we work with them to agree next steps, but our message is always that we’re ready when they are, that they’ll be listened to, and that they’ll be taken seriously.”

Paul Marshall, Strategic Director for Children’s Services and Education at Manchester City Council, said: “We know that when child sexual exploitation and grooming first came to public prominence in the early 2000s, they were a national issue which was not fully understood. We also know, from the numerous reviews that have taken place in recent years, that more could and should have been done to protect many children.

“We have learnt so much since then, individually and collectively, and that learning has transformed our approach to the exploitation of children – from the structures we operate within to the way we support and listen to children and young people.

“We actively use information, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, to enable staff to go looking for problems rather than waiting for a problem to emerge, while at the same time across our services we promote and encourage staff to develop a trusted relationship with young people, so they know we are there for them.

“This conference is about sharing that hard-won knowledge and examples of best practice. But it is also a reminder that we can never drop our guard and must always strive to keep improving.”

Operation Prosper launch

GMP is recognised by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) as the national policing lead for the Armed Forces Covenant: a national pledge to ensure fair treatment for those who serve or have served in the armed forces and their families.

As a result of this, in April the force received an invitation from the Cabinet Office to attend the launch of Operation Prosper at the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon.

The operation, a wraparound service funded by a £2.1million investment from the UK government to improve employment opportunities for military veterans and those leaving His Majesty’s Armed Forces, was launched by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs the Rt Hon Johnny Mercer MP – himself a former soldier.

Representing not only GMP but UK policing as a whole, GMP’s tactical lead for the Armed Forces Covenant Insp Jim

Jones attended the event to learn more about the Operation Prosper scheme; both in terms of how the operation could benefit external recruitment into policing and its potential use to support vulnerable veterans in our communities. While at the event, he was afforded the opportunity to speak with the prime minister about the potential of increasing the pay scale at which highly skilled veterans joining the police force could start – currently, even skilled and experienced military veterans moving into policing roles are commonly expected to take a pay cut.

Insp Jones said: “It was an honour to have been invited to the launch of this important scheme, which will help improve the lives of many who have served in His Majesty’s Armed Forces; and I was delighted to have been given the opportunity to raise the issues of pay for veterans joining the police service. I look forward to what we might achieve going forward.”

NXGEN Advisory Board launches across the force

In April 2024 GMP launched the NXGEN Advisory Board: a new initiative which aims to help GMP gain valuable insights from those aged 25 and under across the force.

In December, colleagues under the age of 25 were invited to apply for NXGEN, an innovative platform offering individuals the opportunity to develop leadership, communication and strategic skills; as well as elevating professional development and facilitating meaningful connections between senior leaders and future managers.

With the application and sifting processes complete, on Friday 19 April this year the 12 successful candidates who had applied for the NXGEN Advisory Board all met with ACC Matt Boyle to discuss causes they would like to see implemented across the force, and to establish what they can expect to see happen with NXGEN over the next 12 months.

The board members hail from a spectrum of branches and districts; from Custody branch and Corporate Communications to the FCCO, CoM and a number of other districts around Greater Manchester, each representative brings their own unique insights and experiences to the table.

ACC Boyle said: “Empowering the next generation isn’t just about handing them the reins – it’s about nurturing their potential, amplifying their voices and bridging the gap between experience and innovation. Our first meeting saw some great introductions and a deeper understanding of roles

and responsibilities across the force. It also enabled me to understand what our NXGEN board members are passionate about, and how they can help influence change across the force.”

The board will be meeting on a monthly basis, which will see them engage with senior leaders of the force and the wider community; as well as reviewing, developing, and implementing strategic initiatives aimed at advancing organisational goals and driving positive change within our organisation and the communities we serve.

GMP and partners share expertise to fight serious organised crime

On Wednesday 22 May, Greater Manchester Police came together with other regional forces, academics, third sector and local authority partners to learn best practice approaches to tackling serious organised crime (SOC).

The event was hosted by the University of Huddersfield and sponsored by GMP in collaboration with the police forces of West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and Merseyside. Special guest speakers included Deputy Mayor for Greater Manchester Combined Authority Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for West Yorkshire Combined Authority Alison Lowe, West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Carl Galvin, and officers from regional forces including GMP, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria and North West Regional Organised Crime Unit.

Representatives from St Giles Trust were invited to speak about the charity’s work in helping young people – particularly women and girls – who have been exploited by criminals, while a presentation from the University of Huddersfield’s National Police Doctoral College highlighted the importance of evidence-based policing in combatting SOC.

DCI Claire McGuire, lead officer for Programme Challenger, GMP’s partnership response to serious organised crime, said: “We recognise that working in partnership is key to supporting and protecting communities and I am pleased this groundbreaking event was attended by so many colleagues and partners. It shows the dedication at all levels and the importance of the issue.

“The purpose of the event was to increase collaboration across the Northwest in how we tackle SOC, raise awareness of the risks, challenge our

thinking, and identify best practice and opportunities to learn from one another.

“Serious organised crime manifests itself in different ways across the country, but it all comes from the same source. It often lies in our neighbourhoods and is utterly devastating. It tears apart communities and families and destroys lives.

“It is the drug dealing on our streets; the misery caused by addiction; the children who go missing again and again; the fights and violence. Organised crime is relentless, and we need a robust and coordinated response to dismantle the threat. The discussions had today are a starting point and have delved into some of the best operations taking place.

“Serious organised crime is, however, not a problem we can arrest our way out of. We need partners, the public, the private and volunteering sector, as well as communities to work with the police, report crime and speak out when they believe someone is in trouble or needs help.”

Kate Green, Greater Manchester’s Deputy Mayor for policing, crime, criminal justice and fire, said: “Organised crime groups are determined, ruthless and focused, which means we need the very best from policing to be able to tackle the challenges that serious organised crime present, effectively targeting, disrupting and dismantling these groups and the threats they pose.

“Our neighbourhood policing teams are key to this: they are direct conduits between local communities and the police; they see the manifestation of serious and organised crime and its impact; and they have the relationships to take a problem-solving approach to tackling the issue as early as possible.

“But it’s not just about policing –we must work collaboratively with other agencies and with communities themselves to ensure we are using all the means at our disposal to tackle serious organised crime and its causes. In Greater Manchester we are doing that through Programme Challenger, which brings together all the different partners who are working to disrupt and dismantle the individuals and networks committing serious crime.”

Dr John Synnott, Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the University’s National Police Doctoral College at the University of Huddersfield, said: “The University of Huddersfield was proud to support this event in collaboration with GMP. One of the aims of the National Police Doctoral College is to promote the role that research can have, not just in strategic decision-making within senior policing ranks, but on the frontline, for those who are working within communities. I think this event struck a nice balance between showcasing the impact research can have as well as providing a platform for police to demonstrate the innovative work they are doing themselves.”

The

past month has seen GMP’s command team hit the road to address officers and staff across Greater Manchester at the Chief Constable’s 2024 roadshow events.

More than 4,000 audience members attended the eight events, held in Salford, Bolton and Manchester city centre between late April and the first half of May.

Along with a video roundup and slideshow showcasing the highlights of the 2023-24 policing year, they heard speeches by Chief Constable Stephen Watson, Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods and Chief Resource Officer Lee Rawlinson, celebrating the successes of the past year and outlining plans for the next.

The Chief speaks

Addressing colleagues from around the force, the Chief Constable outlined GMP’s ‘extraordinary’ journey over the past three years, noting: “Three years ago, we were running away from demand and had started to make silly decisions on the basis that we’d convinced ourselves we couldn’t cope – and none of that was your fault.

“When I first came to GMP, I struggled to see how this brilliant force full of brilliant people was failing chronically. It was nothing to do with you or your talent; it was the fault of senior leadership. It all looked bleak, despite the inherent quality of all of you.”

The Chief highlighted the rapid and comprehensive turnaround made by the force in the three years between being placed in special measures in December 2020 and becoming the most improved force in the country following its most recent inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) in 2023. “What you are achieving is unprecedented,” he declared. “It matters not where you come from in the organisation. None of what we’re talking about could have been achieved without every single facet of this organisation pulling in the same direction.”

In the last year, GMP has solved more than 36,000 crimes

and arrested around 64,000 people. Crime across the region has fallen by 6.1%; with neighbourhood crime down by 15%, burglary down by 24%, and homicide at its lowest in 10 years.

More than £15m has been seized from serious organised crime, with a substantial proportion reinvested in community initiatives.

“Our plan is underpinned by the basics,” the Chief told his audience. “Why would we be any more ambitious than simply wanting to do the basics brilliantly all the time? Our plan is working – and focussing on the basics is now in vogue across the country, because GMP has done it so successfully.

“It is testament to you and your colleagues for what you do –and while of course I’m talking about the police work GMP does on the street, catching and locking up bad guys, I do not want to suggest that it’s all about what goes on at the front end; because that could not happen without the contributions of all of the staff at the back end of the organisation.

“It doesn’t matter where you work in this organisation: this is your achievement. It is an immense achievement; it’s something of which you should be legitimately proud. I am exceptionally grateful. Thank you for all that you’re doing.”

He concluded: “We’re not celebrating the end of this journey; we’re celebrating a tangible step towards where we want to be: the best force in the country.”

DCC Terry Woods CRO Lee Rawlinson

Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods highlighted the importance of quality, standards, and behaviour (QSB) as the force’s key priority for the next 12 months.

DCC Woods emphasised the significance of treating both colleagues and members of the public with courtesy and respect, saying: “I want everyone who interacts with GMP to receive the treatment I would want for my friends or family.”

He went on to underscore the importance of maintaining high standards of behaviour and taking personal pride in appearance. “The return on the £6m investment in new uniform is that those of you who get given that uniform looks smart; you look after it and you enhance that posture outside. You’re getting the best, so make the effort to look the best and to show your standards and personal commitment by wearing the uniform with pride.”

The Deputy Chief Constable commended members of the force for their increased willingness to report misconduct. “I’m hugely grateful that in the last 12 months, we’ve had a big increase in people coming forward and calling out bad behaviour – not only those who are personally affected by it, but team members who have finally said: enough is enough, we’re not having it anymore,” he said.

As part of the QSB initiative, every member of GMP is tasked with creating a personal plan detailing how they will contribute to improving quality, standards and behaviour within the force. The Deputy Chief Constable encouraged everyone to adapt these principles to their specific roles and responsibilities, ensuring a unified effort towards achieving the force’s goals.

“We’re midway through an amazing journey, and it is a real honour to be part of it,” he commented. “We are genuinely massively grateful for the effort everyone has put in.”

Chief Resources Officer Lee Rawlinson told audience members that the force has made significant strides towards improving its workforce and technological capabilities, demonstrating its commitment to progress and innovation and ensuring that it is well-equipped to serve the community effectively while providing excellent value for money.

One of the key areas of focus has been recruitment and retention. “We’ve actually recruited about 2,000 people – if you think of the people who’ve moved on and left the organisation to replace some of those, that’s a phenomenal amount of work to bring those people in,” he explained. “Meanwhile, our efforts to retain officers and staff who were planning to leave the force have collectively not only saved GMP £30 million, but have also preserved a total of 1,300 years of valuable experience.”

GMP’s investments in modern equipment and technology have resulted in the deployment of 4,600 new radios, more than 10,000 new mobile phones and 3,860 bodyworn cameras. These tools have significantly improved communication, evidence-gathering and overall policing capabilities. In addition to these technological advancements, GMP has also focused on modernising its fleet. The CRO noted: “We’ve replaced 200 vehicles and added an extra 113, including 30 vans and more response vehicles. GMP now has the most modern fleet of all UK police forces.”

Emphasising the significance of efficiency across the force, the CRO reminded the audience: “We must balance our budgets and balance our books. This is public money. We have to show that we are caring about it and we are spending it wisely. Demonstrating value for money is crucial to maximising outcomes for everything we do.”

Star videographer’s work lauded forcewide

Attendees at the Chief Constable’s roadshow events were treated to a short video showcasing the year in policing, created by the youngest member of the Creative Media Imaging (CMI) team.

The video, an exciting, poignant compilation of work from the past year, has garnered praise across the force – from junior officers and staff all the way to the Chief Constable, who personally credited 25-year-old videographer Sam Williams at each roadshow event. Sam joined GMP’s customer services team in September 2022 before moving across to CMI in February 2023. Her supervisor, CMI team leader Chris Oldham, said: “We’re all very proud of Sam. She’s incredibly talented and that shows in every piece of work she does, but it also warrants recognition that she’s an exceptionally hard worker – she goes above and beyond, going out to jobs at 4am, taking on projects that would daunt a filmmaker with twice her experience.

“In her short time with us Sam has gone from strength to strength. The roadshow video has been her most recent triumph, and it certainly won’t be the last – she is a credit to her team and to the force.

“Each of the CMI team – Eddie Garvey, Geoff Lingard and Lisa Marks – has plenty of reasons to be proud of the work they do every day. They are each deeply talented artists with outstanding work ethics, and the team dynamic is very supportive and positive. It’s an honour to work alongside them.”

This Volunteers’ Week, 1 to 7 June, we are highlighting GMP’s Citizens in Policing and informal volunteers across the force; as well as the opportunities afforded by volunteering with GMP.

Did you know that GMP gives police staff and officers additional paid leave

Volunteers’ Week: Employer Supported Policing Volunteers’ Week: meet Special Constable Niall Whitehead

Volunteers’ Week is dedicated to recognising and appreciating the invaluable contributions of individuals who selflessly volunteer their time across the force.

This Volunteers’ Week, we spoke to Special Sergeant Niall Whitehead, Head of Learning and Skills Development at GMP. Having volunteered since 2021, Niall shares how he got into the Special Constabulary and what a day in the life of a special sergeant can look like. What did you before you volunteered at GMP?

I have always been very communityfocused; at the heart of everything I do, I want to put people first. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I volunteered as a community responder via my employer and really enjoyed supporting members of the community in their time of need.

At this point, I saw an advert to become a special constable at GMP. Policing was something that always interested me; however, my career path had taken me down a different route. I found the premise of being a special constable interesting in a number of ways – I could support my local community, but also utilise my skills from paid employment to support and create a different dynamic in policing. What does a ‘normal’ day look like for you when you volunteer at GMP?

No two days are the same volunteering as a special constable. I’m currently

to undertake their voluntary duties or training?

The Employer Supported Policing (ESP) programme is a national scheme owned by the Home Office. It is a partnership between employers, employees, the police and communities whereby special constables and police support volunteers are given paid time off from their places of work in order to train and undertake volunteer policing duties. To date, around 405 organisations have joined the national ESP scheme and permit their staff paid time off for volunteering as with their

local police force.

Hannah Rees, of the GMP Prevention branch’s Citizens in Policing team, said: “Volunteering for GMP, in a completely different role to your paid job, is a great way to develop new skills, meet new people, and support our communities – and what’s more the force gives you additional paid leave to do it!”

Police staff who are either special constables or police support volunteers, and police officers who are police support volunteers, are entitled to an additional 12 days’ paid leave.

based at Greenheys Police Station, which – while I may be biased – I think is the best station in the force. I support the local neighbourhood team so an average day will be booking on, attending a briefing, being given tasks, conducting local patrols and assisting the response team when needed. What has been the most memorable part of your role so far?

As a special constable, I have been given so many opportunities to attend various events and undertake continuing professional development (CPD). I have taken part in traffic operations, public order events and local policing, to name just a few, and was even fortunate enough to attend a firearms CPD event on the National Firearms Instructor course.

So many people I’ve encountered throughout my time volunteering have had a positive impact on me, supporting me to learn and grow in my career, but I’d have to give a special mention to PC Ingham who tutored me for my first couple of months.

If I had to pick a single memorable event it would be the Caribbean Carnival. Last year, the silver commander approved the attendance of the Special Constabulary to support the nighttime neighbourhood side of the operation. This really was a test of all the skills and knowledge I have acquired throughout my time volunteering and

allowed me to do what I love most: neighbourhood policing. Working with regular officers and being treated as part of the team is what makes me continue to volunteer.

What advice would you offer anyone considering volunteering at GMP?

The key advice I would give is that if you have a passion for supporting people, making a difference, and really want to give back to your local community, then apply. I won’t lie, it can be challenging, but the sense of achievement and fulfilment you get is second to none. You meet some of the most amazing and inspiring people along the way and some will become close friends.

DEMS supermarket sweep: more reasons to use Axon Community Request

Morrisons has become the 40th major retailer to start using the Axon Community Request function, which enables digital evidence to be securely stored, viewed, and shared for future investigative purposes, to share CCTV footage from its stores with GMP.

The retailer joins an ever-growing list of businesses and organisations agreeing to provide evidence digitally, rather than via traditional media, since the introduction of the platform in 2023. The partnership is not limited to commercial enterprises: public organisations including the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) and local authorities have also adopted the platform.

Each digital request sent using Axon Community Request saves an officer or staff member having to travel to collect an item, return to a police building and enter it into the property store for processing. Once an item of digital evidence has been uploaded, it can immediately be shared as part of a case with just a few clicks, rather than having to be transferred to physical formats. Axon Community Request provides users with a number of significant benefits:

• The function saves officers and staff considerable amounts of time.

• Digital evidence is secure and auditable.

• Reduced need for officers to travel to retrieve CCTV.

• Victims and witnesses can now upload evidence directly to the system.

• Users can obtain and share audio from 999 calls.

• Users can share all digital evidence (including audio, visual and PDF

documents) with other forces and the Crown Prosecution Service.

• Eliminates the need to book CDs and USBs into the property system, allowing officers to work more efficiently and effectively.

April 2024 has seen the highest amount yet of community requests sent to victims for digital evidence to be uploaded directly to GMP’s evidence. com webpage:

• Over 5,700 requests have been sent out to victims, witnesses or organisations.

• Over 4,060 of these were returned with evidential footage, equating to over 70% compliance with requests.

This huge increase in the use of our digital evidence management system (DEMS) illustrates one of the many advantages garnered by the continued improvement of GMP’s IT systems and processes as part of our Plan on A Page.

The following retailers have now adopted the Axon Community Request function:

• 18 Montrose

• Aldi

• Argos

• Asda

• B & M Bargains

• Base

• Boots

• Choice

• Co-op

• Cricket

• Cruise

• Evans Cycles

• Everlast Fitness Clubs

• Flannels

• Frasers Group

• Game

• Gieves Hawkes

• Giulio

• Halfords

• Home Bargains

• House of Fraser

• Iceland

• Jack Wills

• Lidl

• Marks & Spencer

• Matalan

• Morrisons

• New Look

• Next

• Poundland

• The Range

• Sainsbury’s

• Savers

• Sports Direct

• Tesco

• Tessuti

• Tk Maxx

• Trafford Centre CCTV

• Tui

• USC

Work is ongoing with other retailers and local authorities to ensure their systems are compatible so that we can expand the use of the platform even further.

As we integrate DEMS into our other systems, it is extremely important to ensure that digital evidence is categorised and referenced correctly. Where the digital evidence relates to a crime, you should set the evidence ID as the specific crime number relating to the investigation and use the title to describe what the footage relates to. This will allow the footage to automatically transfer into the evidence.com case, which will contain all digital evidence linked to that matching crime number.

If you have any questions about DEMS please contact the Digital Policing Programme via DPPCommunications@ gmp.police.uk.

Wellbeing at Greater Manchester Police

Free healthy eating course

Public Health Collaboration is offering a free eight-week course with resources, advice, and support to educate and empower users on how and why to eat healthily.

Among other topics, course attendees will learn how chronic disease can be prevented by maintaining good metabolic health; gain further insight into diabetes, high blood pressure, and brain fog; and pick up tips on how to lose weight.

Each session will be run via Microsoft Teams every Thursday at 7pm, starting on 6 June. A pre-recorded version will be available for those who cannot attend live.

If you would like to access this course, please e-mail wellbeingvolunteercoordinators@gmp.police.uk, who will forward you an invitation series for the eight sessions. The course is not limited to GMP staff, so please feel free to share the session links with anyone you know who might benefit but does not work for GMP.

New process for accessing physiotherapy support through Ben Fund

Members of the Ben Fund can no longer apply for residential physiotherapy treatment directly.

All applications for physio support will now all go through outpatient services, which can be undertaken at St Michael’s Lodge or at Progress House. During the assessment, the physiotherapist will decide if the individual would benefit from an inpatient stay and progress if appropriate.

The Ben Fund is an independent charity dedicated to supporting and caring for the police from recruitment into retirement. It supports serving officers from Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, North Wales and

the National Crime Agency; as well as retired officers from these and previous forces amalgamated within the constituent forces who are in a condition of need, hardship, or distress.

For more information on The Ben Fund, including forms to apply for treatment, please visit its website: www.thebenfund. co.uk.

Wellbeing resources

Policing can be stressful, draining and at times traumatic. If you have any concerns or feel you need additional support, please contact your line manager or any of the internal and external resources outlined below.

Internal

Support is available from our staff associations and support networks and our force chaplains.

You can contact GMP’s welfare support facility at Welfare. Support@gmp.police.uk or by calling 0161 856 4811.

The Occupational Health and Wellbeing Service can be reached via OccupationalHealth@gmp.police.uk or by phone on 0161 856 5005.

You can make a referral to TRiM, GMP’s trauma risk management peer support programme, at TRiM@gmp.police.uk.

External

Health Assured offers a confidential 24/7 counselling service which you can call on 0800 028 0199. You can also reach Health Assured through the Wisdom service (https://wisdom. healthassured.org) using the unique code MHA189009.

Current and retired officers can contact the GMP Federation Group Insurance Counselling Line on 0800 177 7894.

Delivery of the Victims’ Code in GMP

The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales (commonly shortened to ‘Victims’ Code’) is a statutory government document which applies to all criminal justice agencies in England and Wales. Under this code, those who have suffered harm as a direct result of a criminal offence – including physical, mental or emotional harm or economic loss – are entitled to expect certain rights that must be delivered by GMP. You can view the Victims’ Code in full at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/thecode-of-practice-for-victims-of-crime.

A condensed version of the Code, informing victims of crime what they are entitled to expect, can be viewed at https://

victimandwitnessinformation.org.uk/your-rights/as-a-victim.

If you have any questions or wish to contact us, please reach out to interim Victim Services strategic partnership development lead Louise Sever at Louise.Sever@gmp.police.uk.

Victim Services coordinators

Greater Manchester Police is the only force in the UK to have dedicated Victim Services coordinators, who support police and external partners to understand and deliver the tenets of the Victims’ Code. For more than six years, the Victim Services coordinator team has provided support to district and branch commanders in identifying and addressing gaps in victim service and support. Working in collaboration with internal and external partners, they assist with quality assurance and frontline delivery to victims and communities affected by crime.

Victim satisfaction

Optimum delivery of the Victims’ Code is linked to customer satisfaction and public confidence. To maximise our offering in this space, there is a network of district and branch satisfaction volunteers who work in tandem with the Victim Services coordinators to action tailored improvement plans. This internal partnership ensures GMP considers internal and external sources of feedback as well as our own internal performance metrics. For more information, please contact satisfaction network lead Claire Mayle at Claire.Mayle@gmp.police.uk.

Neighbourhood operations tackle driving offences in Rochdale

Officers from Rochdale’s neighbourhood policing team are taking action on driving offences across the town as part of wider work tackling criminality.

In recent weeks, officers have welcomed the traffic team’s Op Considerate to tackle a range of issues on the roads of Rochdale – from dangerous driving and not using a seatbelt to non-conforming registration plates and using a mobile phone.

Members of Rochdale’s local Trading Standards team have also been in attendance, to monitor improper additions to vehicles and to assist with building a wider intelligence picture of crime.

As with every neighbourhood team across every district of the force,

officers have received reports from within the community and taken action – in this case the range of traffic operations.

Across just a couple of hours based on Tweedale Street on Thursday, close to the Freehold Estate, officers handed out 37 tickets for numerous offences, provided words of advice, performed general checks of vehicles, and seized a further two. In attendance were members of the Rochdale Tutor Unit, who were able to further bolster their skills.

During the morning – which was followed by visits to stores with Trading Standards – locals and nearby residents visited the location where officers were stopping cars to ask what was going on. All were enthusiastic about the operation – with one willing to even join in to help officers!

While the traffic work makes just part of the policing picture, officers are continuing to tackle ASB, drug offences and gangs operating in the town – and locals can expect to see more officers out and about over the following weeks.

PC Richards, from GMP’s Rochdale

district, said: “We are determined to provide the best possible service for Rochdale – and we will work to tackle the problems that the people want us to. We had reports of driving offences, so brought in traffic officers. We’ve had reports of illicit vapes, so we worked with trading standards, and have subsequently seized thousands. When people come to us with a problem, we do out utmost to ensure we use all the appropriate resources to solve it.

“We aim to keep up with these visits and operations – hammering rogue traders, dodgy drivers and patrolling areas where people tell us problems occur. That is the goal of the Rochdale Neighbourhood Team – they are there for the community.”

Introduction to the Corporate Communications branch

The Corporate Communications branch is the bridge between the force, its employees and the public.

The branch deals with all internal and external communications with employees, partners, the media and the public. Our main goal is to support operational policing and build and maintain public confidence. The branch is located on the ground floor at GMP Force HQ.

The teams that sit within corporate communications are Campaign and Stakeholder Engagement, the Media office, Awards and Recognition, Digital Creative, Internal Communications and Staff Engagement, GMP band and the GMP museum. This series will introduce the teams and give you a flavour of what they do.

First, is our campaign and stakeholder engagement team who are dedicated to showing the impactful work GMP

is doing within our communities in a creative, innovative and engaging way. The team uses a diverse range of tactics to effectively spread messages across various channels and engage communities, shift conversations, support operational activity and change behaviours. Each campaign we undertake is unique and we always aim to be creative and impactful in our messaging.

Our team is overseen by our Campaign and Stakeholder Engagement manager with a team leader, campaign officers, district communications officers, a marketing apprentice and a research, insights and evaluation analyst. Working collaboratively to develop impactful short and long-term campaigns, our campaign officers focus on key force priorities such as Challenger, Operation Castle and Right Care, Right Person. We reach

stakeholders through a variety of mediums including press releases, web and Twitter chats, engagement events, advertising, digital short and long-term ad vans, posters, leaflets, and social media management, while also working collaboratively with our digital team.

Our district communications officers promote Bee in the Loop, our community messaging system, which is designed to strengthen our relationships with communities by informing residents about issues in their area and what we are doing to keep them safe. They also produce the district Briefs, which you are currently reading.

Our research analyst plays an important role in shaping our strategies through surveys, campaign evaluations, thematic analysis, focus groups, research, and stakeholder analysis and evaluation.

Rochdale child protection unit ensure predator is put behind bars

Detective Constable Martin Adams is part of the Child Protection Investigation Unit (CPIU) for the district and talks about the work he carried out as the officer in charge of the investigation (OIC) to remove sex offender, Mark Thornton, from the streets and get justice for the victim and her family.

DC Adams said: “The job came into GMP when the victim was confirmed as being pregnant at the age of 13. A referral came into the Easy Help and Safeguarding Hub (EHASH) from her school health nurse, as the victim told social services that the father was her ex-boyfriend, who was also aged 13.

“Initially, the matter was being dealt with by the respective social workers (SW), who were working with them, and educating them. The named exboyfriend however, maintained to his SW that he was not the father, and that he had never had sexual intercourse with the victim.

“The matter became a criminal investigation of rape when it was confirmed, following a scan, that the victim was under 13 when the pregnancy was conceived, therefore it was statutory rape, and I was allocated the investigation as OIC.”

The victim had a termination, and a forensic DNA examination confirmed the 13-year-old ex-boyfriend of the victim was not the father.

At first, the victim refused to engage with DC Adams, but he managed to build trust and a good rapport with her after several visits with along with a SW.

Following this, the victim provided her consent for a DNA sample to be obtained, which greatly assisted the ongoing forensic work at the lab.

Further forensic work was completed, which provided the result that it was 99 million times more likely that Mark Thornton was the father than not. The victim also agreed to an achieving best evidence (ABE) interview, where she explained that Thornton had been sexually abusing her from the age of six and only stopped when she became pregnant at the age of 12.

On Monday 13 May 2024, Mark Thornton, 38, was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court to 27 years in jail, following a string of sex offences against a child under the age of 13, over a six-year period.

The court heard how when the victim was 11, he provided her with cannabis, vapes and cash to buy the victim’s silence, after raping her in multiple locations in Rochdale.

Thornton was arrested in May 2022 and subsequently charged with six counts of rape of a female aged under 13 years. He maintained his innocence and denied raping with the victim

throughout.

The 38-year-old must also sign the sex offenders’ register for life and has been given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and Restraining Order.

DC Adams said: “Firstly I’d like to pay homage to the victim and her family for having the bravery to support our investigation by coming forward, which would have undoubtedly been a difficult thing for anyone to do.

“I hope this result gives them confidence in the authorities and provides them with a sense of justice whilst coming to terms with this horrible crime.

“Thornton showed no remorse for his actions, sparing little thought for the distressing impact that this could have on his young victim.”