I’m pleased to introduce myself as your new District Commander for Salford.
It’s an honour to take over from Chief Superintendent Tony Creely and I wish him the best for his retirement.
I’ve only been on the district for a short while and already I can see what a strong team of officers and staff we have – committed to supporting our communities as Salford grows and changes. We are incredible at responding to the ever-changing demands this district provides.
Our partnerships are also recognised as some of the best in Greater Manchester and our ability to safeguard the most vulnerable is central to this.
Our response to serious and organised crime is formidable and allows us to tackle those that seek to cause serious harm on the streets of Salford.
We can always do more. Our outcomes can be stronger as we drive to deliver an excellent level of service to our victims of crime. Our drive to be efficient and effective needs to be central in all our roles. Making sure that we use our resources to maximum effect is essential.
I couldn’t be prouder to be selected as the district commander of SalfordTony Creely has done an exceptional job in driving us to where we are, and I intend on continuing this to make us an outstanding district.
Quality, standards, and behaviour is the bedrock of our daily business - the first impressions count, and it falls to all of us to make sure that our standards are high.
Thank you for the welcome you have all given me – I’m looking forward to meeting you all as I settle into my role at Salford, and we look towards the next year ahead.
Chief Superintendent Neil Blackwood
Tackling knife crime with communities in Walkden
Since 24 September 2024, tougher laws have been in place around the manufacture, supply, sale, possession and importation of zombie-style knives and machetes.
Ahead of this the team across Little Hulton, Walkden and Worsley held their own knife surrender event in St Mary’s Park, Walkden.
The aim of the event was for local neighbourhood officers to engage with the communities, letting them know about the new legislation, so people could hand in any unwanted bladed articles as well as doing a knife sweep
of the park.
The neighbourhood team noted it was a huge success with a number of knives and other items handed in, as well as members of the community being able to hear from neighbourhood officers about the new legislation.
A huge thank you to the neighbourhood team for putting this event on and continuing to support our communities as we tackle knife crime across Salford and Greater Manchester.
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
Heroic rescue for Salford neighbourhood teamX
Sergeant Phil Metcalfe and two colleagues from the Salford neighbourhood team recently saved the life of a man who was attempting to climb over a bridge and into a canal.
Sgt Metcalfe was deployed on patrol in his van with colleagues Sam Torr (05569) and Philippa Lewis (9793) on Operation Picton, giving reassurance to the jewish community, when he saw what was happening and leapt into action.
Sgt Metcalfe said: “Whilst we were stuck in traffic, we noticed a man trying to jump over a wall by the canal.
Eventually he managed to scale the wall, dropping his bottle of alcohol into the river Irwell below. However, he hadn’t quite managed to get fully over and his legs were still showing. We managed to grab his leg just before he could fall, pulling him back over the wall. After contact with support services. it was agreed he needed to go to Salford Royal to be assessed by the mental health team. Based on what we had seen and after advice, we placed him under a section 136 Mental Health Act.
“He explained he had alcohol problems and kept saying that he didn’t
want to go on living. Since we rescued him, I’m happy to report that he is now getting the support he needs under specialist care at Salford Royal.”
Detective Chief Inspector Jane Curran, strategic lead for mental health, added: “This is a really positive story that demonstrates how having the capacity to deploy officers out on patrol proactively in the community can and does save lives. The officers in question did an amazing job and really made a difference to someone’s life that day. If they hadn’t been there, it could have been a very different outcome.”
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 appropriately-sized, 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.
Combating counterfeit vapes in Salford
Across the districts, tackling criminality and ensure our communities are safe from harm is one of the key priorities for the force.
Targeting businesses illegally selling vapes means that officers can prevent further criminality that could follow therefore warrants on these types of businesses means they are one step closer to tackling underlying causes of criminality.
In September, officers from Operation Vulcan joined Home Office Immigration Enforcement and Salford City Council for a warrant of a vape shop on Rugby Street, Cheetham Hill, where they discovered around £1 million worth of illicit and counterfeit vapes.
As they entered the shop, they noticed a hidden door. Upon entering, they found a whole new room where they were concealing the illicit vapes.
Police Sergeant Joseph Dunne from Operation Vulcan said: “This type of activity sends a clear message to those seeking to exploit the area with
their criminal enterprises, Operation Vulcan and the local neighbourhood team remain in the area to ensure no criminality can creep back in after our relentless pursuit and clear out of the destructive counterfeit trade.
“This seizure is a great result for Operation Vulcan and our partners as it means thousands of potentially harmful products have been taken off the streets of Greater Manchester. Our joint activity will continue as a show of strength to the criminals, and to reassure the community that we remain committed to protecting them.”
Councillor
Barbara Bentham, lead
member for environment and community safety for Salford City Council, said: “The seizure and removal of the illegal vapes is a clear message to all wholesalers and retailers that we do not tolerate this type of criminal activity and will continue to work with GMP and partners, to eradicate any further incidents.”
“Supplying illegal vapes and tobacco products to the public undermines our efforts to protect our communities and helps to fund a variety of criminal activities. It can undercut and undermine the reputation of our local retailers who operate legally to provide goods and services across the city.”
Community Engagement with Cub Scouts
GMP have been collaborating with Cub Scouts in Greater Manchester as part of a community engagement plan.
A fantastic initiative has been launched aimed at engaging, educating, and empowering young people across Greater Manchester in relation to the importance of crime prevention.
This is the Crime Prevention Occasional Badge project, which was launched in 2016 for cub scouts in Central and West Yorkshire, with the aim of inspiring children aged eight to 10 and a half, and has now expanded to Greater Manchester.
Criminologist, Dr Leanne Monchuk and Rachel O’Brien from the Crime Prevention Team from GMP, have co-produced and co-designed a Crime Prevention Occasional badge with the Cub Scouts from Greater Manchester. It consists of engaging events called ‘Cubs Prevent Crime’ days, where cub scouts participate in various activities that teach them about crime prevention and also involves workshops where the cub scouts co-design and co-develop the badge itself, making sure their
voices and creativity are central to the project.
Earning this badge involves completing five fun activities that include:
• Stop the burglar.
• Designing a crime prevention message.
• Conducting an ‘out and about environmental survey’.
• App and game awareness.
• When and how to contact the police game.
Several of these have been developed into resouces that neighbourhood teams and staff can use in local schools and other groups aimed at eight to ten-year-olds. These resources can be found on the Crime Prevention Team intranet pages.
The hard work put into this project has shown promising results and feedback from cub scouts who attended the Cubs Prevent Crime days, has been overwhelmingly positive. Out of 154 feedback sheets collected, 97.5% of participants said they enjoyed the event, over 90% rated it nine or above out of ten and 89% reported
learning something new. As the project moves forward, the Crime Prevention Occasional Badge is set to be launched across Greater Manchester, with the aim of seeing it introduced as part of the national scouting program. The leaders’ pack has already been shared with Cub Scouts in places like Kent, Cumbria, and Norfolk.
Rachel O’Brien, from GMP’s Crime Prevention Team, said: “I’m hoping to inspire the next generation about the importance of crime prevention. By completing the Crime Prevention Occasional Badge, the cubs will raise their awareness through fun and engaging activities. They can learn about crime prevention in a way they can remember and encourage them to spread the preventative messages to friends and family.”
