National Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action sees renewed focus on crimes which matter most to communities

Greater Manchester Police is conducting a week of intensified Neighbourhood Policing as part of a renewed focus on tackling the crimes that matter most to our communities.

Coinciding with the national Neighbourhood Policing (NP) Week of Action, 17-23 January will see a range of operations in support of GMP's hard-working Neighbourhood Officers and PCSOs.

Activities will include:

• Acting on community intelligence to target crimes and offenders of the highest concern for the neighbourhoods in which they live.
• Senior officers to patrol with Neighbourhood Officers and PCSOs to get a warts-and-all view of challenges faced and to make sure they have the support needed.
• Heightened community engagement and social media activity to make sure the people of GM know who their local officers are and how they can be contacted.

Superintendent Ben Ewart said: "Our Neighbourhood Officers are at the heart of policing in Greater Manchester.

"When people envisage the traditional 'bobby on the beat', what they are generally thinking of is our hard-working Neighbourhood Officers and PCSOs.

"They are the visible, friendly policing presence at a community level and very often on first-name terms with people in the communities they serve.

"But equally importantly, they are at the sharp end of policing. They are experts on the areas they serve; highly adept at acting on reports of crime and channelling intelligence to ensure successful policing operations bring offenders to justice.

"Successful, force-wide operations like Op AVRO – helping to lock up repeat offenders, tackle the scourge of drug dealers, anti-social behaviour and burglaries – wouldn't be possible without them.

"That's why it's so important we celebrate their work, back their expertise with the full weight of GMP's resources and deliver for them on behalf of the communities we serve."

 

 

The national Neighbourhood Policing (NP) Week of Action also extends to the British Transport Police, which also has Neighbourhood Policing Teams at work across the country at stations where you travel to and from, to help keep you safe and create a safe environment.

The work of the Neighbourhood Policing Teams on the railway is very similar to the policing teams working in the communities where you live and work.

The teams are made up of specials, volunteers, police officers and cadets. They patrol stations and trains and engage with station staff and passengers to find out what matters most and look at ways to address your concerns. This could be anything from anti-social behaviour and trespass to addressing issues like poor lighting or graffiti.

The Neighbourhood Policing Teams are the frontline officers you’ll see day to day but there’s also a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes too, from school visits to educate young people about rail safety and meetings with underrepresented members of the community to meetings with advisory bodies.

They also help organise knife arches with their Operational Support Unit counterparts and carry out engagement days at stations, colleges and universities to talk about sexual harassment and how to report unwanted sexual behaviour and make communities aware of the British Transport Police’s 61016 text number.

Regular meetings with members of the community, station staff, retailers and representatives from train operating companies help shape how policing issues in your area can best be tackled and give teams the opportunity to talk to passengers about current issues.

Supt Dave Rams, neighbourhood policing lead for British Transport Police, said: “The unique railway environment is made up of a diverse range of passengers, railway staff, stakeholders, retailers and partners – this is the railway community and your neighbourhood.

“Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams are the familiar faces you see every day at stations and on trains - they reduce the fear of crime, keep people safe and increase community trust and confidence by working with the people that matter to tackle issues of local concern.

“They are the reassuring visible presence of the police in communities right across the country.

“Our neighbourhood policing teams are working hard to keep you safe at stations and on trains – if you see them, say hello and find out more about what we’re doing to make your journey safer.”

Find your local Neighbourhood Officer by entering your postcode at www.gmp.police.uk/a/your-area