Tameside edition of The Brief – December 2023

THE VOICE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE

TAMESIDE · DECEMBER 2023

OPERATION AVRO RETURNS TO TAMESIDE

2 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

29 arrests in latest Op AVRO

Colleagues, in this edition of The Brief I wanted to update you on some of our successes and what we are looking into for the next year.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in AVRO - this was a massive team effort and I was proud to be a part of it.

You will have seen updates on our seven pillars-approach to professional development for our sergeants.This is part of our wider approach as we have recognised that organisational changes have required us to work differently, and our sergeants are undertaking increasingly complex and challenging roles. This is a big commitment, with staff from across the district providing training and upskilling, and we are committed to getting this right.

We are also seeing some excellent progress from our new student officers.

Our tutor unit and (slimmed down) academy is seen as the gold standard in the Force, attracting the attention of People and Development Branch to help support it. We will be receiving our report from the Open University shortly, which we will happily share with you.

Over the next 12 months you are going to see us drive our performance in getting things right the first time.

DCI Kahar will be progressing a new action plan to improve this across all the teams. Please do ensure you complete your mandatory College Learn courses.

To end on a lighter note, we are fast approaching the Christmas season.

Although this means challenges for us in policing, it is also important for you to recharge and enjoy the festivities.

As an SLT, we hope you have a peaceful and safe Christmas, whether you are working or off.

Thank you for your phenomenal efforts in 2023.

Superintendent Mike Walsh

Operation AVRO returned to Tameside on Thursday 9 November, with early morning warrants being executed across the district.

A total of 29 arrests for a range of offences were made during the day of action, with a total of 101 traffic offences committed; including 72 speeding offences and five vehicle seizures.

In conjunction with partner agencies, the Neighbourhood Policing Teams visited nine premises following complaints received, resulting in nine positive seizures.

Tameside Trading Standards officers, GMP and Wagtail UK Limited seized 35,660 illicit cigarettes with a street value £23,179, 8.95kg of illicit rolling tobacco with a street value of £5,012 and 1398 illegal vapes with a street value of £15,378.

Engagement events were also held within local communities, with a crime prevention stall in Hyde ran by PCSOs, and Tameside Council’s community safety team running information stands in Ashton Market Hall and Clarendon Shopping Centre in Hyde.

Tameside district Superintendent Mike Walsh said: “Yesterday we enjoyed a

busy Operation AVRO, seeing significant results across the district.

“At our early morning street briefing, we informed the residents about our plans to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in the area, and officers were available throughout the day to answer the public’s questions and concerns.

“This AVRO was a significant blow to criminals, and we will continue to pursue them and bring them to justice.”

If you need any support with Bee in the Loop or would like to submit a story for the new district edition of The Brief, please get in touch with Georgia Holland or Jessica Allen-Millbank

3 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

Securing justice for CSE survivors The force has reiterated its commitment to victim care following the sentencing of five men for non-recent child sexual exploitation.

The offenders were jailed for a total of 71-and-a-half years for sexually abusing two girls in Rochdale between 2002 and 2006.

Jahn Shahid Ghani was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for six counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, Mohammed Ghani was jailed for 14 years for five counts of sexual assault, Insar Hussain was handed a 17-year prison sentence for one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault, Ali Razza Hussain Kazmi was given an eight-year jail sentence for one count of rape and two counts of sexual intercourse with a child and Martin Rhodes was sent down for 12-and-a-half years for four counts of sexual assault.

These significant custodial sentences follow a lengthy investigation led by our Child Sexual Exploitation Major Investigation Team (CSE MIT), with support from the Rochdale district and partner agencies.

Assistant Chief Constable Sarah Jackson said: “I really want to take a moment to commend the officers and staff involved in the investigation. This result, from the first of five trials under Operation Lytton, is a testament to their determination to rebuild relationships with survivors.

“They have not only created a prosecution case which has secured excellent sentences, they have given those who have suffered a long overdue sense of justice and protected other vulnerable young people from these predators. Victims and survivors, members of the public and stakeholders now have some assurance that whilst investigations into non-recent CSE are complexed and can take some time, this police force is ready to respond, and that the victim-led, suspect-focussed approach taken in this case and others yields results in terms of justice for survivors, offenders and communities.”

Op Lytton follows three previous GMP operations, also focussing on non-recent child sexual exploitation in Rochdale, which resulted in the convictions of 36 offenders in 2012 and 2015.

In recent years, the force and local authorities across Greater Manchester have put a renewed focus on caring

for victims and delivering outstanding service to survivors, ensuring that they are the centre of investigations, are supported by specialist services and feel empowered to testify against those who have harmed them.

CSE MIT Detective Chief Inspector Guy Laycock, the Senior Investigating Officer, said: “Whilst the force’s approach to child sexual exploitation is now more proactive than ever before, with a real focus on preventing those who are identified as being at risk from becoming victims in the first place, Operation Lytton shows that when crimes have sadly been committed, we will work with partner agencies to support victims and survivors and relentlessly pursue offenders, regardless of the amount of time that has passed.

“Victim care is absolutely critical to non-recent CSE investigations.

“We put victims at the very centre of our investigations, and putting the right support around them and going at their own pace is vital to the success of them.

“Both ourselves and support services tailor our approach and care plans around survivors, so that they can come forward in their own time. Whenever they are ready, we will be there to listen.

“These are very complicated matters, and they can take quite a long time to get to court, but we will be with the victim from the start of that journey right until the end and beyond.

“Whilst judicial outcomes are really important – it’s always great to see CSE offenders being put behind bars for a long time – the most important thing for me and the investigation is to see justice for survivors.”

Formerly the Force CSE Unit, CSE MIT was established in 2021 and is dedicated to investigating the most serious and complex cases across Greater Manchester whilst supporting investigations led by district-based officers, ensuring that investigations into non-recent child sexual exploitations are of a consistently high standard.

Based at Nexus House, the team is made up of police officers and staff who are specially trained to work with partner agencies to effectively identify and engage with victims, ensure safeguarding action is taken, locate suspects and gather evidence for presentation to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Ali Kazmi

Insar Hussain

Martin Rhodes

Jahn Ghani

Mohammed Ghani

4 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

Achieving Race Equality Report The second edition of GMP’s Achieving Race Equality Report is in the process of being published on the force’s website and will also be available on the intranet.

The report includes data and information about our performance in relation to the Police Race Action Plan (PRAP) and the delivery of the force’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy.

It forms part of GMP’s commitment to being more open and transparent about areas that still require progress, as well as signalling the improvements being made.

GMP is committed to implementing the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s PRAP and has been acting as an ‘icebreaker’ force to trial a new approach to co-designing and testing new models of engagement with young and Black communities.

If successful, this will be rolled out nationally as recommended good practice.

The PRAP is fully supported by the College of Policing and all police chiefs across England and Wales.

Actions are focused on the following four pillars to improve lives and outcomes for Black people and communities: • Represented: A police service that is representative of Black people and supports its Black officers, staff and volunteers.

• Involved: A police service that routinely involves Black people in its governance and engagement.

• Not under protected: A police service that protects Black people from crime and seeks justice for Black victims.

• Not over policed: A police service that is fair, respectful and equitable in its actions towards Black people.

Our PRAP plan forms part of GMP’s DEI Strategy. This is divided into the following three themes, each led by a Chief Superintendent and supported by Superintendent Rachael Harrison’s DEI team: • The People Theme, led by Detective Chief Superintendent Daniel Inglis: This theme is committed to addressing disproportionality and harmonising workforce attraction, retention and progression. It addresses ‘disproportionality’, ‘workforce attraction, retention and progression’ and ‘support for new members’.

• The Victims and Communities Theme, led by Chief Superintendent John Webster: This theme focuses on innovative ways to engage with Black communities and victims.

The team are working to foster community engagement, with a specific emphasis on pilot areas Moss Side and Stockport. They have established Community Innovation Hubs that serve as a beacon of hope for open dialogue, collaboration and joint problemsolving between the police and the community. These have enabled engagement with young Black people, and we are co-creating new ways of involving Black people in policing.

• The Place Theme, led by Chief Superintendent Mark Dexter: This theme aims to identify and address specific challenges in geographical locations that may experience higher levels of racial disparities in policing activities and outcomes. By tailoring interventions and strategies to address local issues, GMP is determined to create safer and more equitable places for all residents.

From left, Chief Superintendents Daniel Inglis, John Webster and Mark Dexter

APMIS helping our battle against SOC The performance element of the Agency Partner Management Information System (APMIS) has been aiding our fight against serious and organised crime since it was launched at GMP in July.

APMIS is designed to collate, record and analyse data relating to SOC threats.

This includes disruption and seizure data.

Since its integration, we have

recorded over 650 disruptions against serious and organised crime, with over 10 per cent of them categorised as major, indicating a long-term significant impact on those who pose substantial risk to the communities we serve.

Our criminal justice statistics show that 232 people were arrested, 88 were charged and 67 were sentenced during the first three months on the system, as we step up our efforts to protect and safeguard vulnerable members

of the Greater Manchester community.

Assistant Chief Constable Sarah Jackson said: “This insight is only possible to share this with you because of everyone’s hard work and commitment to embedding APMIS into our ways of working.

“Thank you for your ongoing support and contribution as we continue to implement APMIS and ensure that our communities are protected from serious and organised crime.”

5 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

Our fight against honour-based abuse FHQ hosted the force’s inaugural honour-based abuse (HBA) Champions event in November.

Tying in with our support for White Ribbon Day and the 16 days of activism against violence against women and girls (VAWG), the networking event was attended by 54 of GMP’s HBA Champions.

It provided them with an opportunity to share knowledge and best practice for tackling HBA. Chief Inspector Toby Facey opened the event by saying: “Each one of you in this room has volunteered to be here to learn, and seeing so many of you here is testament to how seriously you are taking your role in tackling the horrific abuse that affects many people from different communities across Greater Manchester.

“I am really proud of the work we are undertaking, and I want to thank you all for your ongoing support in the role of HBA Champion.”

Two survivors of HBA shared their harrowing stories at the event: • Memory Nyahunzwi – who founded the Olive Pathway charity to educate, equip, empower and effectively support victims and survivors of domestic abuse and to prevent DA within Black communities – spoke about her experience of being an asylum seeker in a forced marriage in which she was subjected to various forms of HBA and domestic violence.

• Award-winning LGBTQ+ activist Lucky Roy Singh also spoke about forced marriage, HBA and DA, revealing how he overcame the abuse he suffered and now uses his story to spearhead change.

The event was organised by Detective Constable Sarah Leyland, our Honour-Based Abuse Subject Matter Expert (HBA SME).

She said: “Historically, honour-based abuse has not commonly been identified by either victims or officers, but in the past 12 months – after a focus on educating and empowering our call handlers and officers – GMP has made huge strides in correctly identifying HBA and recording the crimes appropriately.

“The officer in charge of a case must use C58 and C59 closing codes for all incidents where HBA is suspected to be the trigger.

“Across all reported crimes – including assaults, controlling and coercive behaviour, harassment and sexual offences – there will be unidentified victims of HBA. “These victims need our support, and the relentless pursuit of offenders is essential.

“Let’s find it, identify it and name it.

“We may only have one chance to speak to a victim, so knowing the signs and getting it right first time is crucial.”

For more information about HBA, or if you would like to become a HBA Champion, please contact DC Leyland via sarah.leyland@gmp.police.uk

Committed to tackling VAWG and RAOSO The force reaffirmed our commitment to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) as part of North West Sexual Violence Awareness Week.

During the awareness week in November, organisations across the region shone a spotlight on the support available to victims, including medical professionals, mental health services and charities.

Rape and other sexual offences (RAOSO) are some of the most complex and challenging types of crimes a police force deals with, and often have a traumatic and long-lasting effect on the victim.

Operation Soteria Bluestone was launched in 2021, with the Home Office programme bringing police forces, academics and policy leads together to use evidence and insight to enable forces to transform their response to RAOSO offences.

Last year GMP became one of the forces to adopt the approach.

Detective Superintendent Richard Hunt, GMP’s RAOSO lead, said: “Our process of transformation under Op Soteria Bluestone is ever evolving and will take time, but it is something we are absolutely committed to.

“All officers joining GMP will be specially trained in how to respond to victims and survivors of sexual offences. This is

something I am proud of and something we intend to roll out across the frontline in its entirety, with ambitions to be one of the first forces in the UK to do this.”

Alongside the improvements to student training, GMP’s RAOSO first responder booklet is currently being redeveloped by specialist teams and external partners.

It will be issued across the force in the coming months to further aid officers who deal with these offences.

For more information, please read the ‘North West Sexual Violence Awareness Week’ article on the intranet.

6 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

Bereaved boy given dream Police-mad eight-year-old who recently lost both his parents made a GMP officer for a day An eight-year-old boy who lost both his parents within five weeks has been given the early Christmas present he wanted… an adventure day at GMP. Police-mad Teddy Riley was treated to tours of FHQ, Hough End, Openshaw and Clayton Brook.

Teddy visited the Mounted Unit, Tactical Dogs Unit, Drone Unit and the Armoury and held a range of weapons under the supervision of Armed Response Officers.

He was given house entry and vehicle stop demonstrations by specialist armed officers, took part in riot training and watched a spectacular petrol reception training drill at Clayton Brook that saw officers test their fire retardant kit to the max.

Teddy was even made an honorary police officer by Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods and was issued with a police uniform to wear for the day.

His framed certificate now has pride of place in Teddy’s home in Whaley Bridge.

Specialist Operations Planning Unit (SOPU) Sergeant Nick Galgani, who organised the visit, said: “Teddy and his 13-year-old sister April tragically lost both their parents Beth and Neil within five weeks recently.

“Their auntie Trudy Lindsey works at GMP as a SOPU Police Constable, and when I heard about the deaths of Beth and Neil and how much Teddy loves anything to do with policing, I wanted to give him a special day.

“He absolutely loved coming into GMP, and April, who happily accompanied him on the day, thoroughly enjoyed the experience too.

“Everyone made a real fuss of them, and they went home with a fantastic range of gifts, including Teddies, certificates, badges, commemorative coins and police caps.

“I would like to thank the Dep and everyone else who helped to give the children a much-needed fun and happy day that they will never forget.”

PC Lindsey said: “I have never felt so humbled and proud to be part of the GMP family.

“I will be eternally grateful to everyone who helped to give my nephew and niece what was a precision perfect day.

“All the stops were pulled out – and then some! It was like a Royal visit. Everyone was amazing with the children, and they both enjoyed the experience so much.

“After the most terrible few weeks for them, it was the first time that they have really smiled and had fun since their parents’ deaths.

“They were able to go back to being just kids again for the day, thanks to Sergeant Galgani, the Dep and all my other wonderful colleagues at GMP.” On the way home from his dream day, Teddy said: “Mum and Dad would have been proud that I have made it as a police officer, but it is very hard work and very tiring.

“A sausage butty, chocolate waffles, pancakes and hot chocolate keep you going though. It’s great being a policeman.”

7 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

m early Christmas present

8 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

First force to launch Forcer Protocol GMP is proud to be the first force to have launched ground-breaking veterans’ initiative The Forcer Protocol.

Launched in Greater Manchester in November, this new tool ensures that key information is available to forces when they are searching for service veterans who have gone missing.

Safe and Found Online provides the opportunity for professional carers, family members and friends to complete a form which records vital information in relation to veterans, in case they ever go missing.

Officers will only ever ask for the information provided on the form if the person is reported to them as missing from home.

The Forcer Protocol follows a three-step approach: 1. The person is reported missing to GMP. The dedicated department dealing with reports from the public will then ask whether that person is known to be a veteran. They must do this in every missing case as part of the initial assessment. The Force Operations Centre can then get direct access to Safe and Found Online, giving them crucial information in a matter of minutes.

2. GMP will then identify the risk and investigate, and will hopefully locate the missing person safe and well.

3. A referral is then completed on a Single Veterans Pathway, particularly through Operation Nova and the NHS, to ensure that the veteran gets the support they need. This will potentially reduce demand on policing in the long-term.

alongside The Forcer Protocol founder Claire Lilly, said: “The Forcer Protocol has been designed to support veterans in our communities, ensuring that we reduce the risk to vulnerable people and put support in place to prevent repeat demand by having a joined-up approach to problem solving and sharing accountability with the NHS and veterans charities.

“Serving within and transitioning from the armed forces can be an

overwhelming experience, and in some instances leaving behind that way of life is difficult and distressing for the individual concerned.

“We are the first force in the country to trial this protocol as we continue to lead the way in relation to our Armed Forces Covenant and veteran support.

“Hopefully it will be adopted nationally after our key involvement.”

The Forcer Protocol is named after Alan Forcer, who tragically took his own life following concerns over his whereabouts.

Alan suffered with complex PTSD, extreme anxiety, physical pain and debilitating depression following service in Northern Ireland and Kosovo during the heights of conflicts.

His story and the issues he encountered along the veteran care pathway are sadly not unique to him.

If key information about Alan had been immediately available to the police when he went missing, it is conceivable that he could have been found alive and given the support that he needed.

Chief Inspector Mark Mangnall, who has been a key figure in bringing this new tool to the force and is pictured

New Greater Manchester Victims’ Service provider A new delivery of Greater Manchester Victims’ Services (GMVS) has seen Catch22 taking over the reins as the provider.

The not-for-profit social business has been commissioned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to take on the responsibility of supporting

victims and witnesses of both reported and unreported crime from across the region. In partnership with GMP, the service is being deployed from both FHQ and our Force Crime Management Unit (FCUM) at Unit A to enhance the practical and emotional support available to all victims of crime, bringing key aspects of

the refreshed service in-house. Catch22 designs and delivers services that build resilience and aspiration in people and communities.

If you have questions about GMVS, you should contact your Victim Services’ Co-ordinator or GMP’s Interim Victim Services Strategic Lead, Louise Sever.

9 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

Remembering heroes and colleagues

Two big events on the GMP calendar in November saw us commemorate the servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives to defend our freedom and protect our way of life.

We also took the time to remember the colleagues who are sadly no longer with us.

The remembrance weekend kicked off with GMP’s annual memorial service at Sedgley Park on Friday 10 November.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson was joined by Deputy Mayor Kate Green at the service, which was led by Father Barry Lomax and supported by Reverend Charles Nevin.

The service paid tribute to GMP officers, staff members and volunteers who have sadly lost their lives, and remembered the sacrifice of the servicemen and women who have fallen in the line of duty since the First World War. Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods, Assistant Chief Constable Sarah Jackson and Chief Resource Officer Lee Rawlinson all did readings, and CC Watson read aloud a Roll of Honour of the GMP colleagues we have lost over the past 12 months. They are Police Constables Neil Hough, Angela Bullock and Barry Carmichael, PCSO Derek Thomas, Special

Constable Martin Ainsworth, Cleaner Margaret Garrity, Enquiry Counter Officer Tracey Burns, Staff iMET Co-ordinator Valerie Wood and Recruitment Co-ordinator Elaine Mason.

Following the service in the chapel, CC Watson laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in the Memorial Garden, and family and friends laid their own floral tributes to those who have lost their lives whilst working for GMP. On Remembrance Day itself (Sunday 12 November), CC Watson joined hundreds of Mancunians in attending a service of remembrance in the city centre.

The commemoration ceremony was held at the Cenotaph on St Peter’s Square.

Chief Superintendent Rick Jackson inspected the GMP contingent marching in the parade, and CC Watson laid a wreath onto the monument on behalf of the force.

The GMP Band performed at both events, and other remembrance services took place in cities, towns and villages across Greater Manchester, with a well planned and well executed GMP policing operation ensuring that our communities and veterans were able to pay their respects without fear, intimidation or disruption.

10 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

Wellbeing at Greater Manchester Police Chance to win a technology bundle Police Mutual is giving police staff, PCSOs, Special Constables and their families the chance to enter a free prize draw to win one of four technology bundles.

The bundles up for grabs are: • First prize: Apple iPad 10th Generation Silver 256GB Wi-Fi and Apple AirPods Max Silver.

• Second prize: Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro Bluetooth (45mm) Black Titanium and Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro Graphite.

• Third prize: Sony PlayStation 5 Console and Lego Star Wars The Skywalker Saga.

• Fourth prize: Nintendo Switch 1.1 32GB Console Neon Red and Blue plus Super Mario Bros.U Deluxe and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

The prize draw ends on New Year’s Eve, with the draw taking place on Monday 8 January 2024.

You must be eligible for Police Mutual products, and terms and conditions apply for the prize draw.

For the full details of the prize draw, including how to enter, visit www.policemutual.co.uk/capture/christmaswin Cuppa with Cruse at FHQ If you have lost someone, it can be really comforting to talk about them.

Sharing memories and telling funny stories etc can also help to navigate the rollercoaster of emotions experienced whilst grieving.

Cruse Bereavement Support volunteers, along with GMP’s newly trained Grief First Aiders, will be in Room 330 at FHQ from 11am to 2pm on Friday 8 December to have a chat over a brew with anyone who would like to come and speak about a person, pet or anything else they have lost.

All members of the force are invited to attend.

• Launch of a children’s book: Authored by a member of police staff, this book aims to help children understand why a parent or carer in policing might miss family meals or bedtime stories. It is set to launch in March 2024, coinciding with World Book Day. Visit www.oscarkilo.org.uk for more information about the programme.

Stress and trauma digital course Oscar Kilo has worked with Me Learning and the College of Policing to develop a digital learning course to give police officers, staff and volunteers basic information on stress, trauma and wellbeing.

All members of GMP should be aware of incidents and situations that can cause anxiety, depression, burnout and traumatic stress in themselves, their colleagues and members of the public they interact with.

The new course is for all members of the policing family, particularly those in frontline roles, officer and staff supervisors and learning and development personnel.

Simply search for ‘Stress and Trauma Level 1’ on College Learn, which is available to anyone with a ‘police.uk’ email account.

The course lasts around 50 minutes.

If you have difficulties accessing College Learn, email contactcentre@college.police.uk Women’s health event at Stockport Stockport recently hosted a women’s health event, which was set up by wellbeing volunteer Julie Woodhouse and her adorable dog Fozzy.

They are pictured at the event with GMP’s Police Officer of the Year, Stockport Response PC Tracy Hallworth.

Fozzy had around 40 interactions whilst he was there.

‘Family Life’ programme launched Working in policing is tough, and not just for the person employed to do the job.

There is no doubt it has an impact on families and loved ones, whether that is a parent concerned about their daughter out on the beat, a couple missing out on time together or people trying to manage a young family and shifts.

Oscar Kilo, the National Police Wellbeing Service, has launched a range of new resources to support the loved ones of police officers and staff.

The ‘Family Life’ programme includes: • Toolkits and education: Now available in the Family Life section of the Oscar Kilo website, these resources provide invaluable insights and practical advice on navigating the issues faced by police families in key areas such as mental health, communicating with children, finances and the challenges of living with a shift worker.

• Bereavement counselling support: For families of officers and staff who tragically die in the execution of their duties or by suicide.

If you would like to share good practice from your area, please send details to wellbeingvolunteercoordinators@ gmp.police.uk Awareness in December GMP’s monthly wellbeing theme for December is ‘physical health, fitness and nutrition’.

Awareness dates for the diary in December include: • Friday 1 December: World AIDS Day • Saturday 2 December: International Day for the Abolition of Slavery • Saturday 2 December to Friday 8 December: National Grief Awareness Week • Sunday 10 December: Human Rights Day

11 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

Welcoming Inspector Lisa Halsall Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a yearlong priority for neighbourhood teams across Greater Manchester, but following Halloween and bonfire night, officers have seen an increase in ASB in communities across the district.

Inspector Lisa Halsall has recently taken over as the inspector for the North Neighbourhood Policing Team at Tameside. She has always been a uniformed frontline officer, working on Response and Neighbourhoods in Ashton Town Centre, Stalybridge and Dukinfield.

Inspector Halsall said: “By having specific neighbourhood crime teams in Tameside, we can increase the amount of time that officers are visible in our communities.

“I have worked on neighbourhood policing through the ranks from a Constable to Inspector and my focus will always be targeted to building

confidence in policing within our local communities.

“Halloween and Bonfire Night have now been and gone, but unfortunately Tameside saw an increase of firework related ASB issues with youths between the ages of 10-14 years. I have a fantastic Neighbourhood Policing Team who are investigating these issues and continue to follow up several lines of enquiry in order to investigate fully and bring those responsible to justice.”

Tameside North Neighbourhood Team have continued to conduct highly visible patrols across the community ensuring that people celebrate events through the darker months safely to reduce the risk of any incidents occurring.

Officers continue to build up an intelligence picture alongside local businesses and ensuring that anyone purchasing fireworks uses them safely and appropriately. Alongside the intelligence received, we’d also

like to ensure you are encouraging communities to sign up for Bee in the Loop – the new community alerts system from the Force which gives local residents hyper-local information about what is happening in their area and also helps to promote two-way engagement with our residents.

Angela Rayner MP on Tameside knife sweep

On Friday 17 November 2023, Angela Rayner MP joined officers in Tameside on a knife sweep in support of Operation Sceptre.

Operation Sceptre is the biannual national campaign for police forces which utilises a week of action to put the spotlight on the important work police and partners are engaged with all year round to tackle knife crime.

During the knife sweep, Angela met with Operation Venture officers and talked about the team who supported her during her visit in Tameside. They also conducted a weapons sweep in Ashton-under-Lyne town centre as part of the wider Operation Sceptre campaign.

During the week of action for Operation Sceptre, the force coordinated activity targeting knife crime

and raising awareness of the dangers.

Around 21 arrests were carried out for knife crime related offences, and a further 226 arrests made for other offences.

A total of 270 weapon sweeps were carried out, where police look for hidden and discarded knives.

In an innovative move, officers were also accompanied by metal detectorists who volunteered their time with GMP and were deployed alongside police to aid in the detection of weapons.

The detectorists’ assistance led to the successful detection and seizure of several weapons including knives, a hammer, an imitation firearm, and drug paraphernalia.

Over the course of the week, 640 knives were also recovered from the Forever Amnesty bins, which are

permanently located in police forces across Greater Manchester and where people can surrender knives with no questions asked.

The week of action also focused on the impact of accessibility of knives and how police forces and retailers can work together to disrupt the importation and supply of knives.

Approximately 177 retailer visits were carried out to ensure sellers were compliant with the regulations for selling knives.

The week was rounded off with a total of 92 community engagement events and 74 school engagement events which were hosted to educate young people and the wider public.

The sessions all shared the same aim - preventing serious violence and knife crime for the long-term.

12 THE BRIEF

DECEMBER 2023

Tackling neighbourhood issues across Tameside

Neighbourhood teams across Tameside have been working tirelessly to support their communities, to tackle the issues that matter to them as well as supporting with community events across the district.

Officers have been arresting wanted offenders, tackling dangerous driving,

arresting prolific shoplifters and targeting hotspot areas known for criminality that were causing concerns to vulnerable members of the district.

Across the district, officers should be extremely proud of the work they have been doing for the communities.

Some of this work is noted below: • In Stalybridge Town Centre, PC Green and PC Imran pursued a male who matched the description of a suspect wanted for a string of violent robberies, with several of the victims being lone women. The male was tackled and detained and has been remanded in prison due to the nature of his crimes.

• A suspicious vehicle was spotted in Stalybridge Town Centre by PC Green and PC Imran in a drug dealing hotspot. Both driver and passenger were detained and were found with a quantity of Class A drugs. They were both then arrested and have been charged with

•

•

•

•

possession of a Class A drug.

PC Wild has been arresting wanted prisoners across the district, as well as arresting a prolific offender for shoplifting in Mossley who has been charged and bailed, awaiting a court date.

PC Pearson was out on foot patrol when she sighted a stolen motorbike. The male attempted to flee on foot but was detained by PC Pearson and arrested for possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

The Stalybridge team were proud to attend the Remembrance Parade in Stalybridge town centre on behalf of the Tameside district, supporting communities and remembering the fallen.

Officers have worked with Mossley Hollins Secondary School to teach young people about the fatal consequences of carrying a knife, thanks to £20,000 funding from the district.

Remembering the fallen in Ashton

On Sunday 12 November 2023, Chief Superintendent Phil Davies and local neighbourhood officers joined local leaders, communities’ groups and services, and wider members of the public in Ashton town centre for their Memorial Parade and Service for Remembrance Day. Assembling early in the morning on Market Street, the parade wound

through the streets before the service at Ashton Parish Church.

During the service there were acts of remembrance such as hymns, blessings, the last post and a twominute silence followed by a further parade to the main Ashton Way Memorial for a wreath-laying ceremony in which Chief Superintendent Davies also took part.

Labour MP Angela Rayner, council officials and representatives of uniformed service were also in attendance.

The parade was led by the Ashtonunder-Lyne band, and followed by members from across the community who all wished to pay their respects to the brave servicemen and women that fought for our country.