Stockport edition of The Brief – November 2023

THE VOICE OF GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE

POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR

STOCKPORT · NOVEMBER 2023

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Three cheers for Tracy!

On Friday evening, I had the huge honour of accompanying some of our wider team to the Chief Constable’s Annual Award Ceremony at the Manchester City Etihad Stadium. It was a fantastic evening celebrating those who have consistently delivered for our community in 2022 and 2023.

Stockport were successful in achieving two finalists; Constable Tracy Hallworth, and our Neighbourhood Crime Team.

I am absolutely thrilled to inform you that Tracy won her award category and is officially ‘Greater Manchester’s Police Officer of the Year’, a prestigious and coveted title I think you would all agree! Albeit our Neighbourhood Crime Team was just ‘pipped at the post’ by Bolton, I recognise that managing to get through to the award ceremony, to be honoured as a finalist, is no small thing.

Dealing with incidents and emergencies, people in crisis, members of our community who have problems that cannot be resolved by any other means than to contact the police are all things that response officers do exceptionally well each and every day.

This is ‘core policing’, and it is important to remember that whilst there is rightly diversity of opportunity within Greater Manchester Police to specialise, for example – investigations, public order, vulnerability and much more, everything that we do, our foundation stone to success, has always been rooted in response policing.

Thank you all – well done Tracy and our Neighbourhood Crime Team!

Chief Superintendent John Webster

GMP’s newly crowned Police Officer of the Year says that she is ‘really touched’ that the work she does has been appreciated.

Stockport Response Police Constable Tracy Hallworth was delighted to receive the accolade at this year’s Chief Constable’s Annual Awards, after being described as ‘consistently exemplary’ in her citation.

PC Hallworth said: “I am absolutely delighted to represent all frontline uniformed police officers as the winner of the award. I have been on response for the past 15 years and still have pride and a sense of accomplishment in doing my job.

“It is not always an easy role and it’s certainly not ‘just a job’. It’s a vocation, and there is no other job like it. I feel that you get as much out of this job as you put in, and I have tried to be the best I can be and to set an example of good

policing to officers who are younger in service.”

Chief Superintendent John Webster said: “Tracy is a dedicated and experienced officer who does her very best every day to support our community, celebrating over 15 years as a response officer with a work ethic and determination which is second to none.

“We have all witnessed how Tracy serves our community ethically, fairly, with huge resolve and personal resilience.

“She has always gone above and beyond in her role - an example of that is her work as a Family Liaison Officer, dealing with the relatives of individuals who have often died in tragic circumstances.

“Tracy’s performance is exceptional; her approach, her nurture and mentoring of junior officers is something to be admired.

“I am exceptionally proud of Tracy, she is a role model for many, and I know that the rest of the Stockport district will be proud too.

“I am sure that Tracy’s friends and colleagues will congratulate her when you see her on patrol, in the police station corridors, or any other setting.”

A huge congratulations to GMP’s new Police Officer of the Year for such a fantastic achievement!

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NOVEMBER 2023

‘On track to be UK’s best force within two years’ After reflecting on the standard of the work of this year’s Annual Awards winners and other shortlisted candidates, Chief Constable Stephen Watson confidently stated that we will be the best performing police force in the country within two years.

He found it harder than ever to choose the winners this year, due to the sky high standard of the nominations across the 18 categories, and used the glittering awards ceremony held at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium to commend the work being done across GMP to continue the force’s rapid resurgence.

The Chief said: “Our Annual Awards offer the chance to pause for a moment to reflect on what it is that you are collectively and individually achieving in the interests of the public whom we serve.

“I send a huge heartfelt thanks to you all, because what GMP is achieving right now is special.

“We have gone from special measures and being 43rd out of 43 forces to smashing every reasonable measure of efficiency, effectiveness and legitimacy.

“GMP was the most improved force in the country last year, and I confidently

predict that we will be so for the second consecutive year.

“We are on a mission to be the best police force in this country for the next 30 years – and we will achieve it.

“In two years’ time we will be ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ at all things and we will be the best performing force in the country, because of you.

“It’s all down to your performance, your leadership and what it is you’re asking of yourselves and your colleagues.

“It’s about professionalism, it’s about diligence, it’s about standards, it’s about compassion and it’s about being relentless in harrying criminals and looking after good people and preventing bad things from happening to them.

“It’s about picking up the phone, making accurate records, investigating lines of enquiry, arresting bad people, looking after vulnerable victims, making sure that we keep folks informed and operating proactively to prevent crimes and anti-social behaviour from happening in the first place.

“I could not feel more privileged and honoured to be entrusted with the leadership of this force, and I thank

you all for everything that you have done and continue to do.”

The Chief has labelled October’s event ‘a glorious occasion’ for GMP and congratulated all the officers, staff members, volunteers, apprentices and Cadets who won awards on the big night.

He has pointed out that the 18 award categories highlight the fact that GMP is a ‘full spectrum organisation’, rewarding everything from ‘very localised interventions through to highly specialist interventions that use fearsome forms of technology to tackle criminals who cause the most harm, and everything in between’.

Never one to rest of his laurels, the Chief has also pointed out that there is still much work to be done to realise his strategic vision for GMP. “We know we can do more and we know we can do better – we have to move from quantity to quality, from behaviours to culture,” the Chief said.

“But we have started to nail the basics in a way that is not only making a big difference to our public but is making GMP start to be seen as an exemplar for the rest of the country.”

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Congratulations to all our Chief Constable’s Annual Awards winners Rochdale CID’s Operation Cardington team were the big winners at the Chief Constable’s Annual Awards.

After scooping the Criminal Investigation of the Year category title, the team were crowned the Overall Award winners at a glittering ceremony held at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson hailed the team on the big night for their outstanding work in establishing the extent of serial domestic abuser and rapist Andrew Ellison’s offending and bringing him to justice for his appalling crimes.

The team subsequently labelled the double award win ‘the icing on the cake’ to a standout investigation that culminated in a 28-year prison sentence for Ellison and some much needed closure for his five victims.

See the ‘Double delight for Op Cardington team’ article on the intranet for the full details.

Although the team are undoubtedly worthy winners, the Chief admits that he found picking the winners of this year’s awards incredibly hard due to the extremely high standard of the nominated candidates.

Addressing the candidates on the night, he said: “It was a very hard job because we were inundated with a great volume of fantastic nominations this year, but it was a brilliant job as it was enlightening and left you feeling motivated.

“There were times when it felt almost impossible to distinguish between excellent police work and the excellent work of those who support the frontline most excellently.

“You are all worthy of being here. You all are reflective of a resurgent GMP, and you all represent the very best of GMP and the very best of policing nationally.”

The standard was so high for the Unsung Hero Award that the Chief could not decide on a sole winner for it, so he chose to have two winners instead.

He also created a new Proactive Investigation of the Year award due to the amount of standout nominees in the Criminal Investigation of the Year category.

A full list of the award categories and the winners is below, with corresponding photographs to the right: 1.

Overall Award and Criminal Investigation of the Year: Rochdale CID’s Operation Cardington team – Detective Sergeants Ruth Thompson, Tim O’Callagan and Rick Shelton, Detective Constables Marshall Trower, Russ Clarke, Mel Jeffery, Rachael Stafford, Georgina Jones and Hannah Havard and Intelligence Support Officer Kelly Parkinson.

2. Apprentice of the Year: Safer Transport Team Business Administration Apprentice Dominika Majdziak.

3. Bravery Award: Trafford Neighbourhood Policing Team officers – Sergeants Marc Foster and Tim Ansell and Police Constable Marcus Wolstencroft.

4. Cadet Leader of the Year: Tameside Voluntary Police Cadet Unit Leader Garry Joynes.

5. Cadet of the Year: Tameside Voluntary Police Cadet Unit Head Cadet Toby Parker.

6. Innovation: Force Contact, Crime and Operations Branch (FCCO) Marple implementation team – Crime Recording and Resolution Unit (CRRU) Business Lead Rebecca Greaney, CRRU Manager Kristopher Langdown, Digital Policing Programme (DPP) Sergeant Adam Frank, DPP Police Constables Mark Jones, Dominic Ginty and Mark Harrison and Change Project Manager David Millington.

7. Operation of the Year: Operation Wolverine – Sergeant Mike Lawrenson and Police Constables Myles Edwards, Joanne Ferguson, Martin Reynolds, Mark Bateson, Ryan Davies and Wayne Redfearn, PCSOs Maria Hughes and Claire Broome and Administration Assistants Gary Bolton and Hazel Smith.

8. PCSO of the Year: Wigan PCSO Michelle Ashurst.

9. Police Officer of the Year: Stockport Response Police Constable Tracy Hallworth.

10. Problem Solving: Operation Vulcan – Detective Superintendent Neil Blackwood, Detective Chief Inspector Jenny Kelly, Detective Inspector Christian Julien, Inspector Andy Torkington, Detective Sergeant Matt Donnelly, Sergeant Dan Cullum, Detective Constables Rob Smith and Peter Williams, Temporary DCs Vanessa Gilbert, Rachel Gill and Matthew Bowling, Investigative Support Officers Nick Price, Neil Ingram and Libbi Anderson, Police Constables Antony Rushton, Jamieleigh Clark, Simon Pymm, Saad Khan, Matthew Kech, John Galloway, Jennifer Burd, Lewis Boucher, Adam Challenor and Nick White, Major Incident Analyst Cain Ashton and Media Officers Fleur Armitage and Abigail Richardson.

11. Staff Member of the Year: Procedural Standards Forensic Specialist Hannah Marney.

12. Special Officer of the Year: Bury Special Constable Adam Duffy.

13. Student Officer of the Year: Bury Detective Constable Morgan Skeels-Caldwell.

14. Team of the Year: Bolton Neighbourhood Priority Crime Team (NPCT) – Detective Inspector Jon Waywell, Detective Sergeant Carla Deighton, Detective Constable Simon Swann, Sergeant Sarah Dixon and Police Constables Kiernan Bishop-Phillips, Matt Cookson, Joel Dalton, Jack Shaw, Emma Critchley, Georgia Ashcroft, Hannah Kirk and Sam Burgess.

15. Unsung Hero Award: Nexus House Catering Assistant Sophia McCurrie and Design Studio Manager Jay Ashworth (Sharon Kaberry picked up Jay’s award on his behalf).

16. Voluntary Police Cadet Unit of the Year: Bury Volunteer Police Cadet Unit Volunteer Cadet Co-ordinators Inspector Ryan Page and PCs Tim Heap and Claire Wright and Volunteer Cadet Leaders PC Luke Woodcock, Special Constable Steve Bolton, Dr Rebecca Page and now retired Comms Operator Allister Taylor.

17. Volunteer of the Year: Bury Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator Dorothy Stoddard.

18. Proactive Investigation of the Year: Operation Somerled – Serious Organised Crime Group’s Syndicate 3’s Detective Inspectors Anthony Norman and Claire Rawcliffe, Detective Sergeants Colin Shackleton, Ryan Grumbridge, Phil Kennedy, Mark Atkinson and Mark Dunnington, Detective Constables Anthony Scott, Lee Siddall, Bryn Reeves and Dominic Greenwood, retired DC Glynn Mason, Intelligence Support Officer Roger Galt and Intelligence Analyst Donna Thomas.

Check out the dedicated ‘Chief Constable’s Annual Awards 2023’ section of the intranet for more photos and information about the awards.

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A range of dignitaries – including the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester Diane Hawkins, the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester Mary-Liz Walker, the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Kate Green and GMFRS’ Deputy Chief Fire Officer Ben Norman – assisted the Chief in handing out the awards. The winners are photographed picking up their awards on the night. The photograph of the Op Somerled team has been excluded due to them being a covert team.

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NOVEMBER 2023

Mission accomp for Operation Pr

Conservative Party Conference policing operation

The policing operation for the Conservative Party Conference was once again a success this year.

The major event for Manchester saw thousands of visitors and delegates welcomed to the city.

It took our officers over 12 months to prepare for Operation Protector.

The four-day conference held in October was a multi-agency security operation that successfully showcased Manchester as a vibrant, friendly city that can host large-scale events peacefully and with professionalism.

More than 10,000 people safely visited the city, to the benefit of local businesses and the local economy.

On the opening day of the conference, around 3,000 protestors marched through the city and attended a rally which went ahead without incident.

Unrelated to the event, a number of proactive arrests were made in the city, demonstrating that it was business as usual for many officers on the ground.

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes, Gold Commander for the event, said: “Security operations of this scale are always complex and require a high degree of multi-agency work.

“With our partners, we worked tirelessly to protect delegates, enable protests and keep our city safe, and I am proud to hear such positive feedback about our staff, who performed their duties to the highest of standards.”

The success of the conference has further boosted Manchester’s reputation as an iconic city for major events.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson said: “I know many thousands of you have been involved in executing what was again an immense policing operation, whether that be through planning the event, policing it, assisting visitors, catering and all those on divisions who carried and took up the slack of those deployed at the conference.

“This operation is something which really strains every sinew of GMP. “These conferences are really important for our city region and Greater Manchester Police, as they give us an opportunity to showcase what it is that makes GMP such a great organisation.

“My thanks go to all of you for your professionalism, your diligence and your cheerfulness.

“You did a fantastic job and I am very proud of you.”

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plished rotector

n an overwhelming success

NOVEMBER 2023

Behind the scenes of operational preparation Manchester has up to 119 million visitors a year, and policing large-scale events is a common occurrence for GMP. Ensuring the safety and security of participants and spectators is a monumental task for these events.

The force undertakes a meticulous and comprehensive set of preparations to ensure that these events go off without a hitch.

The latest Operation Protector showed that extensive planning is key to a successful operation.

Protective Security Operations Chief Inspector Roger Worrell, the Lead Planning Co-ordinator for Op Protector, said: “I work on Op Protector for 12 months, and the planning and logistics team are brought together six months prior to the Conservative Party Conference. This team comprises 15 officers and a police staff member, who are seconded from their ‘day jobs’ to work solely on Op Protector.

“Their work focuses on ensuring the appropriate resources are rostered for duty across the operation and that they are provided with the right vehicles, accommodation and accreditation for their roles.”

Ensuring that each element of the security operation is in place is key, and the team focus on mitigation measures for various threats, such as deploying National Barrier fencing to prevent a vehicle attack, using detection equipment to stop a drone in mid-air and implementing large-scale searches in conjunction with the military to identify and find any improvised explosive devices.

The four-day conference itself saw: • An average of 1,650 officers deployed on Op Protector duties per day • A total of 235 police vehicles used • More than 16,000 hot meals served by GMP Catering on and off site for Op Protector.

The operation involves multiple partners, such as the military, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and fire and ambulance services. They are all involved from the beginning of the planning stage.

CI Worrell added: “I’ve helped plan three Op Protectors – in 2019, 2021 and 2023 – and I’ve already started to work on the 2025 conference.

“There were no major incidents at this year’s conference, which is a mark of success – the team did an excellent job and all the hard work and planning paid off.

“Working on Op Protector gives me real job satisfaction, and when it’s over and everything has gone well… I can breathe a sigh of relief!”

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NOVEMBER 2023

Celebrating Black History Month at FHQ October saw the annual celebration of Black History Month, which honours and commemorates the significant contributions made by Black individuals throughout history.

GMP’s Black and Asian Police Association (BAPA) marked Black History Month with a celebratory event held at FHQ on Friday 19 October.

The event boasted a host of speakers, West African and West Indian food and engaging conversations.

Kicking off at 10am, poet Deanna read out a couple of beautiful and elegant poems that focused on the struggles of the Windrush and celebrated ‘sisters’ of BHM. Guest speaker and historian Linford Sweeney – an Africancentred history educator, family history researcher, coach and author – then shared his insights into the rich history and contributions of the Black community.

Linford, from Manchester, provided an educated display with a humorous twist, giving the audience a deeper insight into how far back Black people have been influencing the UK. After enjoying tasty West African and West Indian treats such as patties and coco bread, the attendees watched a short play performed by actor and director Marcus Hercules.

Incorporating a variety of dance and drama, the play revolved around the Windrush, particularly the loss of family and the struggles of the streets.

Marcus amazed the audience with his energetic style in delivering an outstanding performance with a thought-provoking message.

BAPA’s Deputy Chair Julian Addison said: “BAPA would like to thank the esteem guests for giving their time to attend FHQ and sharing their wealth of knowledge and talent.

“BHM really hits home and makes you think of the struggles people went through, and highlights that everyone is equal.

“This national celebration will continue to promote understanding of Black heritage and culture.”

Black History Month has its roots in the United States. It was initiated in 1926 by Dr Carter G Woodson.

Since then, it has evolved into an international celebration that allows us to reflect on the struggles, achievements and experiences of Black people worldwide.

BHM has been celebrated in the UK since 1987, providing an opportunity to acknowledge the rich tapestry of Black heritage and culture that enriches our society.

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NOVEMBER 2023

GMP the king of problem solving Greater Manchester Police is officially the best force in the UK when it comes to problem solving.

Not only was GMP the only force to be crowned the winner of more than one of this year’s five Tilley Awards, Operation Vulcan was unveiled as the overall 2023 Tilley Award winner at the National Problem Solving Conference hosted by South Yorkshire Police in October.

Since it was launched in November 2022 to tackle organised crime gangs embedded in Cheetham Hill and Strangeways, Op Vulcan has led to more than 220 arrests being made, over 200 counterfeit shops being closed down and more than 1,000 tonnes of counterfeit items – with an estimated street value of over £140 million – being seized.

Chief Superintendent Emma Taylor, Head of the Prevention Branch and the Strategic Lead for Problem Solving, said: “Problem solving is crucial to modern policing, and the results of this year’s Tilley Awards proves that nobody is doing it better than GMP, which is something we should be hugely proud of.

“The national awards were set up in 1999 by the Home Office to acknowledge and celebrate the best examples of problem solving in UK policing, with five winners and an overall winner announced every year.

“Huge congratulations to the Op Vulcan team for deservedly being crowned this year’s overall Tilley Awards winner. The amazing work of the team has scuppered the vast amount of organised criminality in Cheetham Hill and Strangeways and led to those areas being completely transformed.

“Congratulations also go to our other 2023 Tilley Award winner, a successful initiative that was launched in 2021 to reduce knife crime and robbery incidents at a housing estate in Bolton through changing the layout of the environment.

The tactics – including a partnership approach to successfully applying for a public safety protection order and making environmental changes such as improving lighting, providing new fencing and alley gates – led to a 72 per cent reduction in robberies in the area.

“I would also like to say well done to Operation Overspill for being our other problem solving initiative in the top 10 shortlist for this year’s Tilley Awards – no other force had more than one initiative in the top 10.

“Op Overspill has seen hundreds of people arrested and a significant reduction in robbery incidents since it was launched in May 2022 in partnership with Bolton Council to keep people safe in the town centre at night following an increase in reports of robberies, other crimes and anti-social behaviour.

“This all highlights our commitment to becoming a police force with prevention and problem solving at our core, and the fantastic progress we have made in this regard.

“We know that problem solving is very effective at reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and keeping our communities safe.

“The initiatives that have received recognition via this year’s Tilley Awards are just some of many examples of GMP working with partner agencies to achieve excellent results.”

Op Vulcan also won the Problem Solving category at our Chief Constable’s Annual Awards held in October.

Detective Superintendent Neil Blackwood, who leads the Op Vulcan team, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the team, who deserve all the recognition they get.

“It’s been a privilege over the past year to work with a fantastic team of dedicated officers and partner agencies who have given their all to tackle the organised crime associated with the counterfeit trade to create sustainable changes in Cheetham Hill and Strangeways.

“Those areas feel completely different to where we were 12 months ago, and we hope to achieve similar success in Piccadilly Gardens now that Op Vulcan has been launched there.”

Check out the Tilley Awards articles on the intranet for more details about Op Vulcan and our other nationally recognised problem solving initiatives.

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Wellbeing at Greater Manchester Police Wellbeing tour goes to Spec Ops The Wellbeing Team visited the Specialist Operations Branch in October to help its SPoCs raise the profile of wellbeing, the importance of looking after yourself and the support that is available.

The mini Wellbeing on Tour event was organised by Spec Ops Inspector Craig Birkhead and his committee, who arranged for one of the Oscar Kilo vans to attend Openshaw, Clayton Brook and Eccles over three days.

Partners attended from Police Mutual and No1 CopperPot Credit Union, to provide financial support and information.

Our Occupational Health team carried out health checks over the three days.

Code 9, GMP’s men’s mental health support group led

by Sergeant Stuart Charlesworth and ex-Merseyside Police firearms officer Russell Fairclough, was also represented at the event.

A coffee van was at all sites, offering freshly ground coffee, tea and hot chocolate whilst people spoke to partners and colleagues.

Engagement levels escalated over the three days of the mini tour, with 50 members of the force engaging on day one, 103 on day two and 117 on the final day.

That’s 221 individuals who now have more tools in their box to help them when they are struggling!

Grief first aiders coming soon The Wellbeing Team have been working closely with Cruse Bereavement Care to introduce a new volunteer role.

Volunteers will be able to offer a one-to-one confidential listening ear to any member of the force going through a bereavement.

Bereavement will impact us all, and having a safe space to talk about your feelings and the person/thing/future you have lost helps people to process their grief and work through the stages of it.

There will soon be a cohort of individuals who are specifically trained and available to offer this support to colleagues.

Please keep an eye on the Wellbeing intranet pages for further details, or speak to your Wellbeing SPoC. Awareness in November • Movember (all month): Men’s health is in crisis. Men are dying on average four-and-a-half years earlier than women, and for largely preventable reasons. A growing number of men – around 10.8 million globally – are facing life with a prostate cancer diagnosis, testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men and across the world a man dies by suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 69 per cent of all suicides. You can get involved in Movember in many ways, from growing a moustache to arranging awareness talks and everything in between. Simply type ‘Movember’ into your search bar to find the dedicated website.

• Lung Cancer Awareness Month (all month): This annual public health campaign was devised to increase awareness about lung cancer, its risk factors, early detection and treatment options.

• Pancreatic Cancer Month (all month) • National Diabetes Month (all month) • Talk Money Week (Monday 6 to Thursday 10 November) • White Ribbon Day (Saturday 25 November): This sees the start of 16 days of action against violence against women and girls.

Supporting Op Protector The Wellbeing Team were based at the designated Refreshments Venue during Operation Protector, speaking to officers who were deployed to the policing operation for the Conservative Party Conference.

Partners Police Mutual and Nuffield Health carried out over 50 health checks there as part of the wellbeing support.

Thanks to everyone who engaged and spoke to the team about wellbeing and support.

Help is always at hand If you are struggling, there is always someone to talk to: • Peer support in GMP: Contact the Wellbeing Volunteer Co-ordinators to be put in contact with an individual who has lived experience of a situation you are currently going through.

• Health Assured: You can call the employee assistance programme’s free, confidential helpline 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0800 028 0199.

• Samaritans: A listening ear is always available on 123 116.

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NOVEMBER 2023

We Protect domestic abuse victims Stockport have been selected as the first district to trial domestic abuse (DA) mobile phone app, We Protect.

This is a mobile app that allows officers to make instant referrals for DA victim. The free to use We Protect app and online portal has been developed by the Domestic Abuse Alliance (DAA) in conjunction with police and domestic abuse support service providers.

All victims referred through We Protect benefit from early legal assistance and intervention, ensuring that the relevant course for protection is actioned without delay. Submitting a referral through the app will set in motion a chain of events to help the victim escape abuse. A dedicated domestic abuse legal advisor will reach out to the victim to provide clear and relevant advice on their legal rights. If necessary, a court order could also be issued.

Starting week commencing 16 October, officers across Stockport have been downloading the app and starting to use it for DA referrals.

The project lead, Detective Chief Inspector Ian Wrench, explains that: “This app has the potential to save our officers valuable time but more importantly, it will provide the victim with a better service by getting them the help they need quicker.

“So far, the app has been well received by officers on the front line, the majority

of response officers have downloaded and started to use the app and the feedback we have received so far has been really positive.

“We are also working in conjunction with the University of Birmingham, funded by the Home Office, to conduct an evaluation of the app.

“The next step will be to widen the trial

to Tameside at the end of next month, then hopefully forcewide.

“We have seen the success of the app in other forces and hope to have the same results here in GMP, enabling us to increase support DA victims in Greater Manchester.”

You can watch a video by using the QR code on the image.

Financial Investigator Mark Chesters “Hi, I am Mark Chesters and I am an accredited Financial Investigator, and my primary role is that of confiscator.

“I use the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA), to strip assets from criminals who have been convicted of drugs trafficking offences and acquisitive crime.

“The process is called confiscation proceedings and takes place at the Crown Court.

“As part of my confiscation investigations, I routinely make applications under POCA to the Crown Court to obtain bank account material and to freeze / restrain assets.

“I have several tools at my disposal to trace assets which can also be used to trace high-risk missing people,

wanted people and witnesses (when conventional lines of enquiry have been exhausted).

“On a daily basis, I will communicate with financial institutions and banks can provide me with financial intelligence supported by an appropriate reason.

“Across the district, I can support officers and staff with advice around seizing cash, listed assets and section 47 seizures under POCA. “I can also offer advice on how to obtain financial evidence to support crime investigations.

“I am based in the hub at Cheadle Heath Police Station – please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or need any support.

“I can be contacted via my mobile 07393 144 389 or via Microsoft Teams.”

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NOVEMBER 2023

Operation Rimini tackles community issues in Stockport

Over the past few months, Operation Rimini has been going from strength to strength within Stockport Town Centre and further afield. This operation is a dedicated response to tackling reports of various offences in Stockport town centre including theft, shoplifting, and anti-social behaviour.

Encompassing high-visibility days of action alongside community patrols and engagement events, 28 arrests have been made for offences including burglary, theft, possession of a bladed article, assault of an emergency worker and breaching court orders.

The team have also been working closely with partners including Stockport Council and Trading Standards and during a recent day of action this

partnership work resulted in £80,000 worth of illegal vapes being seized.

Another positive engagement within the communities was back in July 2023 when the team were alerted by residents and partners to ongoing anti-social behaviour around St Mary’s Church and the marketplace. This involved heavy drinking, shouting, swearing, littering, fighting and urination on church grounds at all hours of the day.

Through liaising with partners, a group of eight males were identified and the team were able to link these males to several thefts that had occurred over a prolonged period from one major retailer.

Overnight anti-social behaviour ceased, and the group received 83 charges for theft, damage, and public order offences. They were given a total of 32 weeks of custodial sentences by the courts and 120 hours of community service and unpaid work.

Operation Rimini have re-introduced monthly crime and police surgeries at St Mary’s Church as part of an ongoing commitment to make the team more accessible and support relationships with the communities.

Sergeant Jim Senior who heads up the

team said: “I am particularly proud of the work that every single one of my officers have put in and it just shows with the positive feedback we are getting from our communities and our partners.

“Our partnership work with Trading Standards and Stockport Council’s enforcement officers meant we were able to conduct premises visits and take a huge amount of illegal vapes off the streets.

“By working with partners and having different strands of policing operating together, we can all help to make Stockport a safer place for people to visit and enjoy.”

Stockport domestic abuse team go from strength to strength Implemented in July 2023, the Domestic Abuse Team (DAT) have seen a steady increase each month in positive outcomes for victims of crime. In September, 19.4% of domestic abuse crimes were recorded with a positive outcome for the victim - the highest in the Force.

During the latest Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Co-ordination (MARAC) meeting, partner agencies stated they were impressed with the amount of highrisk domestic abusers that had been arrested and charged during the first 24 hours of arrest. This results in immediate safety for the victim, the children and prevents further offences and harm to them as a family.

Led by Chief Inspector Ian Wrench, every eight weeks, the team also identify the top 10 domestic abuse offenders and ensure that investigations involving those top 10 offenders are investigated by officers within the domestic abuse team. This is to maximise opportunities to speak with those most vulnerable victims, build rapport with them to aid them supporting a prosecution and dealing with the offenders by putting them before the first available court to ensure safeguarding of the victim.

The team utilise the services of Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) during live incidents, and together with one of the DAT officers they will attend to speak with high-risk

victims to ensure safeguarding is in place and offer support to put together a witness statement. This in turn leads to maximising all the evidential opportunities to achieve an outcome on that day for the victim.

If there isn’t victim impact statement due to fear, the team use an evidenceled prosecution to protect the victim.