“Thank you for all your hard work in making GMP the most improved force in the country, now let’s build on the exceptional progress we have made to give the people of Greater Manchester the best policing service possible.”
That was the main message of this year’s Chief Constable’s Roadshow events, which were attended by a total of around 4,000 members of the force.
Ten sessions were held across five dates and four venues (the Etihad Stadium, Midland Hotel, Bolton Whites Hotel and Salford’s AJ Bell Stadium) in May and June.
They gave us all a chance to celebrate the force’s long list of impressive achievements over the past 12 months, and to hear directly from Chief Constable Stephen Watson and Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods about our plans to build on them.
CC Watson said: “I would like to thank all those who attended the Taking Giant Leaps roadshow events.
“We have achieved so much as a force since being put in special measures. Our turnaround and the extent of the improvements we have made and the speed in which we have made them is
unprecedented in policing.
“The roadshow events gave us all an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate this monumental achievement. The rapid recent evolution of GMP certainly deserved to be celebrated.
“The well-attended events also gave the Dep and I the chance to thank you, our people, in person for all your hard work and to applaud your successes.
“The resurgence of GMP is all down to you and the tremendous effort that has been made in every team, every branch and every district.
“Thanks to you and your determination and resilience, we are answering calls and responding to incidents much quicker, recording more crimes (and doing so more accurately), making far more arrests, investigating more crimes, achieving many more positive outcomes, providing an improved service for victims and witnesses and, ultimately, making our communities safer.
“We are now doing the basics brilliantly, and you should all feel proud of yourselves.
“Your end-of-year school report grade is a well-deserved A+. Well done.
“You have performed out of your skins and I am very grateful and very proud of you all.”
The roadshow highlighted four key elements behind our groundbreaking transformation, namely:
• The formulation of our straightforward Plan on a Page with a clear focus on the basics of policing
• Establishing the means of delivering the plan by setting up a suitable Performance Management Framework (PMF) and reforming our operating model
• Improving leadership across the organisation, particularly at a strategic level, with us having an almost completely new senior command team
• Turning around a previously negative and reactive culture in the organisation and embracing a new proactive one.
They are the cornerstones of what CC Watson describes as a ‘powerfully resurgent GMP that is a massive force for good and is punching its weight again’.
He said: “We have made giant leaps forward. GMP is back – but this is just the beginning!
“The goal now is to build on our momentum and to continue
making giant leaps to ensure that the improvements we have made are lasting, address the fundamental problems that remain in the organisation and improve public trust, confidence and satisfaction in GMP.
“The keys to achieving that are ‘quality, standards and behaviour’.”
This year’s planned projects are all about embedding the positive changes we have already made and continuing to deliver a comprehensive and wide-ranging package of initiatives designed to help us fulfil our Plan on a Page and make us the best force in the country.
Capital of £50 million and an extra £30m pot of revenue money will be spent on positive change over the next 12 months.
DCC Woods detailed the priority areas for investment and improvement in the roadshow. These include:
• IT: Getting the back end of IT right through a substantial investment so that we can all work quickly and efficiently.
• PoliceWorks: Replacing it with an improved and more user-friendly system.
• Crime investigations: Investing in forensics, particularly digital forensics.
• Detective resilience: Ensuring that in time there will no longer be a Detective resilience issue at GMP.
• Custody and criminal justice: A significant investment is being made into custody resources to meet increased demand.
• Crime Futures: A centralised crime management unit will take work away from districts and response officers.
• Enabling services: All members of the force have got some part to play in protecting the public, and investment will enable you to do that better.
• Operation Aurora: An amended approach to dealing with mental health, missing from home and care home incidents and all other noncrime related activity, with partner agencies taking more responsibility.
• Wellbeing: Increasing wellbeing at GMP by making work better/ less stressful, improving the work environment and putting systems in place to support your work.
• Uniform: Our officers are getting the best uniform in the country, which is both smart and practical (see the centre spread for more details).
CC Watson said: “Over the next 12 months we’ll focus on moving from quantitative improvement into improving quality – quality of public interactions, quality of service, quality of change.
“We’ll be seeking to move from improved behaviour to creating a new values-based culture that is fair, equitable and inclusive, where ethical professional standards become our bedrock, and where staff wellbeing is more fully understood and supported.
“You have to continue to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in, and you have to help us to root out and boot
out those who are not fit to work at Greater Manchester Police.
“99.9 per cent of you live to our standards and values, but you need to speak up more about the 0.1 per cent who don’t. That is the responsibility of every person and every team at GMP.
“Let us know when individuals display standards or behaviour not befitting GMP and, as our recent misconduct cases show, they will be sacked and barred from policing.”
If you attended one of the events, we are keen to hear your feedback on them to inform our planning of future events.
Please provide feedback via https:// www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WBFH7SM
Two of our officers have spoken of their pride at being chosen to play a key role in the policing operation for the King’s Coronation.
Police Constable Paul Spinks, who serves in our Trafford district as a Neighbourhood Policing Officer, and City of Manchester North Response PC Matt Mooney had the honour of being posted as ceremonial officers in front of the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace on the day that King Charles and Queen Camilla were crowned at Westminster Abbey. They performed the duty of ‘Processional Route Liners’ as part of the force’s reward and recognition initiative.
PC Spinks was chosen for the role for his outstanding act of courage in tackling a man waving a machete outside a school in Salford during term time.
PC Mooney, who was a temporary Sergeant at the time of the Coronation, was selected for saving the life of a man who had sustained a severed hand in a machete attack in Manchester, by giving him first aid, applying a torniquet and packing the wound with bandages and his finger.
The surgeon who subsequently operated on the man stated he was only a few minutes away from death due to the amount of blood he lost prior to PC Mooney’s life-saving intervention.
PC Spinks, who last month received an Emergency Services Award at the Pride of Manchester Awards for
the courageous act he performed whilst off duty and not wearing any protective uniform, said: “It was a great honour to represent my family, Greater Manchester Police and my work colleagues in the Coronation ceremony of His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
“The Coronation of the reigning monarch is a symbol of tradition and historical longevity of the UK and its importance in the modern world.
“Matt and I arrived at Buckingham Palace by 8am and stood at the monument until 4pm.
“We were in a prime position outside the front of Buckingham Palace and the world’s media.
“We witnessed the King depart for the ceremony and then return to the palace, whereby we stood to attention as he passed us in the golden carriage.
“I am humbled to have been asked to represent the force at such a historic occasion.”
PC Mooney, who earlier this year received a Chief Constable’s Commendation for his life-saving first aid, said: “It was an honour to be one of only two officers selected from GMP for the role outside Buckingham Palace, and I really enjoyed the day.
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something that I will never forget.”
Thirty other GMP officers – close protection officers, specialist motorcycle riders and a Harrier specialist public order team – were deployed to London on mutual aid to
assist the policing operation for the Coronation.
They joined officers from across the UK and 18 other Commonwealth countries in supporting the Met in policing the historic event.
Manchester turned red, white and blue as hundreds of people watched the King’s Coronation on the big screens in Piccadilly Gardens.
Approximately 1,200 Mancunians turned out with their Union Jacks to be part of this historical moment.
The warm but dull weather drew the crowds out from staying at home to watch the King and Queen be crowned at Westminster Abbey.
They soaked up the atmosphere with other patriots in Piccadilly Gardens.
Witnessing the momentous occasion on a big screen,
the crowds showed a range of emotions, from crying to cheering.
It was a real party atmosphere, and our officers were on hand to assist the crowds and enable people to celebrate in a safe manner.
There were also hundreds of street parties arranged across Greater Manchester over the bank holiday weekend to mark the special occasion.
Whole communities got together, both at home and at public events, to celebrate together and to spend time with family and friends.
The new officer uniform was unveiled during the Chief Constable’s Taking Giant Steps roadshow events and everyone had the chance to have a look and chat with the officers who have been trialling them.
Last year officers voted for the uniform style they preferred. This has been trialled for the last few months by officers on the ground, and it has now been approved for forcewide rollout.
At the heart of the new uniform is for officers to feel comfortable, for it to be fit for purpose and present a professional appearance in line with a top performing police force. Here is your chance to have a closer look at what you will be getting next year and hear first hand the views of the officers who have been wearing it.
Sergeant John Ward and PC Ellie Doggett have been pivotal in the trial on division. They have given their thoughts on the new uniform from operational officers’ viewpoint.
Sgt Ward said: “I for one am very glad that the force has recognised and understands that uniform is an integral part of our identity, not only as GMP officers but as Crown servants. Also to be allowed time to properly test the new uniform options shows that every effort has been made to get it right for officers.
“The testing has been done since last August, and we have trialled shirts, various trousers and two sets of body armour. The trial is still ongoing to make sure we get it right, with small changes needed to adapt to our way of work and practicality to our varied job roles.”
Black
Molle system to attach baton, cuffs, PAVA etc
Identification on the shirt sleeves, instead of epaulettes
Breathable fabric in the mid-section
PC Ellie Doggett said: “The shirts are smart with a cotton-style sleeve and collar, but are also comfortable to wear under body armour, with a wicking-style material which is more robust than the current shirt.
“This shirt is more suited to the cargo pants-style trousers. It has the additional arm patches that stand out more than epaulettes.”
PC Doggett said: “The trousers are more flexible with a cuffed bottom. This is a move away from ill-fitted trouser legs. These are not prone to fade as quickly as some of our previous styles and mirrors the new shirt, making a smarter appearance.”
PC Doggett said: “We have trialled two types of body armour.
“Both types are one body armour, rather than armour and a separate vest, making it more practical to put on and take off.
“The first body armour is very comfortable while looking smart and allows for more room to manoeuvre pouches and equipment.
“The only downside is the time to fasten due to the Velcro fastening system, but after a while it does get easier and can be done by releasing one side only.
“The second is also comfortable and offers more protection, which is paramount for our colleagues who do a difficult and often dangerous job. The body-worn video dock is central to the officer’s body, meaning better video coverage.
“We have taken feedback for minor things such as removing the reflective material, which is not suitable for plain clothes officers and, to be honest, it looks smarter without it.”
An overt Blackhawk Taser Holster has been trialled and will soon be rolled out across the force.
Sergeant Graeme Murrie said: “Officers who have trialled the new holster have said that it’s easier to draw, more robust and has increased visibility, therefore improving tactical communications.”
This new 26-inch baton is in the process of being rolled out across the force following a successful trial.
It replaces the Niton Monadlock batons.
Personal Safety Trainer (PST)
Inspector Tom Bowes said: “The Banowi baton was the preferred choice as it provides a more powerful strike ability, greater retention and collapses in line with expected functionality, which is something that has been an issue with the Niton Monadlock batons.”
Watch this space for further updates.
BANOWI POLICE BATON Improved quality trousers all-in-one integrated body armour and tactical vest High quality black hybrid shirts Cotton sleeves and collars“It looks tactical, it looks more like a police uniform.”
“You can adjust the vest to suit you, to be exactly how you want and where you want the items, making them accessible when you are on duty.”
PC Ellie Doggett
The second Operation AVRO in Bolton was an overwhelming success as the forcewide initiative continues to play a significant role in keeping people across Greater Manchester safe.
Returning to the town following the initial visit in June 2022, the day of action saw 52 arrests made and 18 warrants executed.
The arrests were for everything from assault and theft (including of a motor vehicle) to possession of a bladed article, burglary and cannabis cultivation.
A large, highly sophisticated cannabis farm was uncovered, after intelligence from the public through Crimestoppers was acted upon.
Working with Bolton Council’s trading standards team, more than a dozen premises were raided, and a large quantity of illicit tobacco and nitrous oxide was taken off the streets thanks to the work of sniffer dogs.
A sniffer dog alerted the team to the wall of a shop and led to the uncovering of an improvised hydraulic lift system full of illegal tobacco products which can help to fund organised crime.
Early morning warrants were carried out across the district, whilst officers from the Specialist Operations Branch supported key local district priorities.
Traffic officers were out on Bolton’s roads and recorded a total of 354 traffic offences, with 282 of them relating to speeding at two check sites set up throughout the day.
A total of eight vehicles were seized and six arrests were made.
Officers also delivered workshops to local primary schools to educate pupils on the dangers and consequences of carrying knives, as part of Operation Sceptre, whilst Victims Services contacted victims of crimes identified during the day of action to offer its support services.
Bolton district Chief Superintendent Steph Parker was delighted with how the latest Op AVRO went.
She said: “Over the past 12 months we have listened to the Bolton community, and we know that their concerns are around dangerous and speeding drivers, drugs, anti-social behaviour and serious violence.
“We successfully tackled them on the day of action, with Operation AVRO continuing to be a highly successful initiative.”
For more details of the day of action, search for the ‘Another successful Operation AVRO’ article on the intranet.
The extensive number of counterfeit items being seized as part of Operation Vulcan are being put to good use.
The Op Vulcan team have joined forces with specialist company Lighthouse Security to have almost 400 tonnes of counterfeit items repurposed so far.
The items were seized during hundreds of raids on counterfeit shops that have blighted communities in Cheetham Hill and Strangeways.
As well as taking counterfeit items off our streets and hitting the criminals behind them where it hurts –in their pockets! – a top priority for Operation Vulcan was to minimise waste and make sure that items
seized were put to better use. Repurposing the items turns them into useful, safe products which the people of Greater Manchester and beyond can benefit from.
For example, seized hats, T-shirts and gloves which are made from safe materials can simply be debranded and given to charities and local community organisations.
Items which are unsuitable or unsafe instead get shredded, before the raw materials are reused to make items such as bedding and blankets.
Even the packaging and boxes the items are sold in get recycled and reused, and can be turned into insulation for houses.
None of the counterfeit items seized
as part of Op Vulcan go to waste –Lighthouse Security finds a solution for everything.
In May the Op Vulcan team donated hundreds of items of clothing to Manchester City Centre-based charity Mustard Tree, which works to combat poverty, inequality and homelessness across Greater Manchester.
Inspector Andy Torkington, one of Op Vulcan’s specialist officers, said: “The community and their needs are at the heart of Operation Vulcan, and the fact we have been able to repurpose and recycle everything and give it back to those in need really makes a difference.”
Jack Barton, Communications Manager for Mustard Tree, added:
“We’re incredibly grateful to have received the donated items as part of Operation Vulcan.
“Clothing donations are vitally important for our Community Shops. Not only do they raise money for our charity, they also provide dignity to hundreds of our clients who regularly need a change of clothes when facing a crisis.”
The force’s Chief Superintendent and District Commander for Stockport John Webster is hoping that Chicago is his kind of town after being selected to represent British policing on a unique learning opportunity in the United States.
He will spend one week a month stateside, taking part in the University of Chicago’s six-month education programme on data-driven management, violence reduction and community trust as part of the newly launched Policing Leadership Academy (PLA).
Speaking about the opportunity, Chief Superintendent Webster said: “The College of Policing approached our Chief Constable about the course, based on the fact that GMP is the most improved force in the country.
“The course is for senior police leaders to come together to explore what we would call in the UK ‘police legitimacy’, which is all about trust and confidence.
“I think over recent years in particular our legitimacy has eroded. A number of factors, some self-inflicted, have combined to inflict immense damage on our legitimacy, and that trust and confidence we once enjoyed is not where it needs to be in 2023.
“It’s probably the biggest strategic problem that we face in policing today, in my opinion. It’s not lost on the senior people, it’s not lost on the Home Office, it’s not lost on the Home Secretary and it’s absolutely not lost on our own Chief Constable.”
While Ch Supt Webster aims to learn from police leaders from the United States about how we might fix those problems, he is also confident that the force is on the right track, as evidenced by Chief Constable Stephen Watson’s messages at the Taking Giant Leaps roadshow events.
Echoing CC Watson’s comments, Ch Supt Webster said: “He sees this really clearly and he knows what it takes to build legitimacy, which is the simple things like responding to incidents and emergencies and solving crime, building partnerships and solving problems – not being lost in stuff that the public doesn’t want us to do but concentrating on the stuff that the public absolutely wants us to do.
“This is underpinned by the standards of professional behaviour, which is absolutely the golden thread that runs through all of this.
“We have identified that there are some officers who don’t adhere to our code of ethics, the standards of professional behaviour, which is about policing ethically and fairly and having high moral standards.
“The damage that it causes is massively disproportionate compared to the great people that we have in the organisation.
“As an organisation of thousands of people, one or two bad apples cause huge damage.”
Ch Supt Webster acknowledges that policing in the United States is still very different to the UK, and that across the Atlantic they face a host of different challenges.
Visiting America for the first time since he was 19, he is
keen to embrace both the differences and similarities.
He said: “We police by consent, and that’s incredibly important for what we are in the UK.
“In the US, they are more of a law enforcement type of operation than perhaps we are.
“I hope we will have some fantastic ideas and strategies that will relate to how we do business in the UK, and I’m really looking forward to speaking to the other 19 senior leaders on the course from across the United States, from California and Florida to Louisiana and Nebraska.”
We will be hearing from Ch Sup Webster throughout the rest of the year as we catch up on his experiences of learning on the PLA. You will also be provided with details on how you could represent GMP in Chicago and join the cohorts for 2024 and 2025.
where he competed in show jumping.
Rob’s real interest lay in shoeing horses though, and this is the area he naturally moved into when he was old enough.
At the age of 17, he started his career in farriery… and has not looked back!
in North Yorkshire, which will be a change in pace and less physically demanding than working with halftonne hoofed mammals.
Shortly before his retirement, Rob said: “I’m sad to be leaving, as it’s been a privilege to work alongside such great horses and riders.
Dedicated, reliable and professional are the first words the staff and officers at GMP’s mounted unit use to describe Rob Newton.
Rob has been a farrier for three decades, and he has been shoeing the horses at the unit for the past 11 years.
He has always had a keen interest in horses and started out on ponies,
There have been many years of highs, and working with horses at GMP has been a particular highlight, including the likes of Bullseye (loveable, but daft as a brush!), Molly and Parker (who he describes as ‘a little gem’).
Rob is retiring in good health and at a great time when he is still physically able to continue doing the things he loves.
His new career venture is a dog boarding kennels at his new home
“It’s such a great team to be part of here, and I’ll really miss everyone.
“However, I am looking forward to what I can do after this and the challenges ahead.
“My apprentice Oliver is now fully qualified, and he will be taking over my other clients, and hopefully he’ll be back at GMP one day to continue the work we’ve been doing.
“There are horses here that I will remember forever, and I leave with very fond memories.”
a topic that impacts everyone in one way or another. They will be sharing resources and signposting content throughout the month, as well as hosting an online bereavement conference, facilitated by Cruse Bereavement Support.
This will be held on Tuesday 20 June. More details will be shared by your local wellbeing SPoC.
Our Wellbeing Team will be travelling across the force with a range of partners this month.
Taking place from Monday 12 June to Friday 23 June, Wellbeing on Tour aims to promote the importance of wellbeing, raise awareness of the support that is available and give our officers and staff a chance to speak to our partners and find out about the options available to them.
The schedules of who will be attending on each day of the twoweek tour will be promoted locally.
Partners who will be joining us for Wellbeing on Tour include Health Assured, Police Mutual, No1 CopperPot Credit Union, Samaritans, Cruse Bereavement Support, Dad Matters, The Ben Fund, Police Treatment Centres, Seetec and Nuffield Health.
Some of our wellbeing volunteers
will also join us for the tour. Please try to find the time to join Wellbeing on Tour yourself. The tour dates are below.
• Monday 12 June: Bury
• Tuesday 13 June: Rochdale
• Wednesday 14 June: Oldham
• Thursday 15 June: Nexus House
• Friday 16 June: Stockport
• Monday 19 June: FHQ/CoM N
• Tuesday 20 June: Stretford
• Wednesday 21 June: Pendleton
• Thursday 22 June: Wigan
• Friday 23 June: Bolton
The theme for the Wellbeing Calendar for June is bereavement. The Wellbeing Team knows this is
Thursday 1 June marks the start of Volunteers’ Week 2023
As such, it is the perfect time to thank all our wellbeing volunteers who provide invaluable peer support to their colleagues.
We have individuals across the force who volunteer their time to provide listening support.
They do a remarkable job, and we know that they have helped many colleagues in need of a listening ear.
The hard work and dedication of our wellbeing volunteers does not go unnoticed.
If you would like to thank a wellbeing volunteer for going above and beyond with their support, please get in touch with the Wellbeing Volunteer Co-ordinators via wellbeingvolunteercoordinators@ gmp.police.uk
Detective Chief Inspector Vicki Kenyon ran the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in May in memory of her father, who sadly lost his battle with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) earlier this year.
DCI Kenyon explains that: “In September 2021 my dad, Allan Kenyon, was heartbreakingly diagnosed with this debilitating, incurable disease and given eight weeks to live.
“For 18 months I watched MND systematically rob my dad of every
quality of life, but it wasn’t able to take his determination, bravery and defiance until Sunday 12 March, when it inevitably took his life.
“My dad, like many other MND warriors, suffered unimaginably every day whilst loved ones can only watch.
“The Leeds marathon was my first (and last) marathon. After 12 months of training, I managed to drag myself around the 26.2-mile hilly course in 4hrs 6mins in aid of the MND Association.
“I found it really tough at times but dug deep to keep going, with the primary motivation being thoughts of my dad, all he endured for two-anda-half years as a result of MND and the need to raise as much money as possible to help find a cure for this cruel disease.
“I also ran alongside Kev Sinfield and Rob Burrows at different points of the race, and the crowds went wild.
So much so that my watch warned of excessive noise!
“These two Leeds Rhinos rugby league legends are heroes to the MND community, and being part of their day was a privilege.
“I did try to keep up with them when they passed me at the 25-mile mark so that I could witness their finish, but unfortunately Kev is a machine and my little legs couldn’t keep up.
“I have since seen their finish and, like many others, it brought tears to my eyes. If only the world was filled with Kevin Sinfields!
“To date I have raised just under £5,000, and I am so grateful to everybody who has helped me raise such an amazing amount.
“My JustGiving page – https://www. justgiving.com/fundraising/vickikenyon6 – is still open if you want to help push it over the £5,000 mark.”
One of our staff members is taking on ‘the biggest physical challenge of her life’ to raise funds for a breast cancer awareness charity that is helping to save lives.
Officer Rebecca Dures is a breast cancer survivor herself.
The 37-year-old mum-of-two has twice beaten the killer disease – and she is now determined to beat the CoppaTrek challenge of a five-day trek of the French Alps, despite having health and fitness concerns.
She has set up a JustGiving page with a £2,750 target for the challenge that starts on Saturday 9 September 2023, and all the proceeds will go to the CoppaFeel! charity, which promotes early detection of breast cancer by encouraging women under 30 to regularly check their breasts.
Rebecca, who works in the Crime Recording Resolution Unit at Claytonbrook, said: “CoppaFeel! is an amazing charity that raises awareness around the need for young women
from high school age onwards to check themselves regularly, see their GP if something doesn’t feel right and get that diagnosis as early as possible, to give themselves the best chance of survival.
“I know all too well how important that is.
“I was 32 when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. My kids were only three and four and it was a massive shock as everyone, including doctors, kept telling me I was too young and it would be a cyst etc.
“I had ‘triple positive’ breast cancer that had spread to my lymph nodes. Six months later, following chemotherapy, a mastectomy and a month of radiotherapy, I was happily starting my monthly hormone treatment and saying goodbye to active treatment.
“Roll on 2019 and I received my second triple positive breast cancer diagnosis. Another big operation and a year of chemotherapy later I got another all clear, and I am happy to
say that I am still cancer free.
“My ongoing treatments have made me gain weight and given me daily bone and joint pain, menopause and many other things. I am the most unfit I’ve ever been, but I am determined to complete the ‘Tour du Mont Blanc’ and raise as much money as possible.
“It will be the biggest physical challenge of my life.”
Anyone willing to make a donation towards the charity challenge should contact Rebecca via Rebecca.Dures@ gmp.police.uk, requesting the JustGiving link.