Rochdale police column: Additional officers on the beat and improving youth behaviour

Inspector Robert MacGregor, of the Rochdale East Neighbourhood Policing Team, on what the police are doing to tackle local issues across the borough.

---

Clearly it is impossible to write about the events in the area over the last week without beginning by offering our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the young lady who died in Smallbridge earlier this week.

It would not be appropriate for me to go in to any further detail, but if you have information about the incident, please call police on 0161 856 3400 and quote reference 183 of the 23rd April.

After issues in Littleborough in the weeks prior, we saw a big decline in the number of reports of anti-social behaviour in the second week of Easter holidays. I do not think that officers patrolling is ever the single ‘solution’ to problems in a community. Issues tend to not occur when we are present, but if nothing else is done then the moment we leave - the problems return.

One of the common reasons given for issues occurring is that there is not enough for young people to do. In preparation for the summer holidays, I have had conversations with the local authority about using money that we have seized from criminals under the proceeds of crime act to fund activities for young people.

I also accept that prior to the Easter holidays we should have spent more time in schools speaking to young people to try and encourage good behaviour during the break - we will take that lesson and make sure we do this for the next school holidays.

In September last year, two residents of Milnrow and Newhey asked to meet with me to discuss a plan they had for a community group. I met with David and Gill a week or so later and they described a scheme where they would be a proactive neighbourhood watch who went out on foot to build links with other residents, and to report issues to the local authority and police where they were identified and taking some responsibility for low-level issues affecting the area.

This group were set up under the name ‘M&N Resident Watch’ and have a Facebook group set up. Although David and Gill spoke positively and were clearly well-intentioned, I had some real concerns and my initial response was to say that I could not support the scheme. I was supportive of an active group being set up, but opposed to the idea of any patrols in case they became a vigilante group. I agreed to go away and think about their suggestion and speak to colleagues.

I then spoke to a colleague in the West Midlands Police where they run a scheme called Street Watch. This scheme is community-led and volunteers carry out patrols in pairs, in hi-vis jackets in their local area, with the intention of building closer links in the community, and promoting good citizenship.

As I discussed it I could see how, with the right volunteers it could be something that could work and a few days later I spoke again to David and Gill and explained that I was willing to support the scheme. After seven months, we are now very close to launching.

Street Watch will be piloted in Milnrow and Newhey and I will use information about the patrols which are carried out to measure the impact If successful I hope it can be rolled out to other areas in Rochdale. It is fair to say that I have colleagues at Rochdale police station who think this is a brilliant scheme, and others who strongly disagree with it - but we will give it a go and see the effect it has.

I encourage residents to join the resident watch Facebook group to be kept updated. The scheme is funded by the local authority and from the proceeds of crime funds I mentioned earlier and all volunteers are vetted and covered by an insurance policy.

Finally, I am really pleased to confirm that we are getting additional Police Officers on the neighbourhood policing teams in Rochdale East. PC Matthew Honey who was a PCSO in Lancashire, before joining GMP where he has been a response officer for two years will be the new Neighbourhood Officer for Smallbridge and Firgrove. This allows PC Lucas McGregor to concentrate on Wardle and Littleborough and PC Stephen Hutchinson to focus on Milnrow and Newhey.

We are also being given another additional Police Officer who will be a Schools Officer, but the selection process for that role is still in progress. I was delighted to get the additional officers, and it will increase the work we can do as a team in the area.

Thank you for your support.