Leigh's neighbourhood police officers take part in first joint patrols with council teams

Following the renewal of a public space protection order towards the end of last year, officers have been regularly patrolling hotspots around Leigh, securing arrests, charges and banning orders for a range of anti-social criminality.

Christmas patrols for an ASB operation have already produced results, and follows work in the community in which residents were given crime-busting tips and gifts.

Neighbourhood officers joined the council’s homeless outreach team and ASB enforcement to patrol across Leigh’s town centre. During the day, officers spoke to numerous people – from those currently sleeping on the streets to people asking for advice on all manner of topics.

The purpose of the patrols are to provide an array of service to the local community – between them, the teams have a great depth of knowledge on preventing crime, issuing the appropriate fines or penalties, and aiding those in need. Both GMP and the local council are committed to ensuring that Leigh is a safe and welcoming space for all.

During the first patrol – which will happen across both Leigh and Wigan each month – the team spoke to homeless people, signposting to the appropriate services which can help provide them with a place to stay. They checked on vulnerable people, spoke to the public, and chatted to stores and business owners about recent incidents.

The team will look to expand to include further partners in the future, as part of a joint approach to providing the best service to the town.

Sergeant Shane Prescott, from Leigh’s Neighbourhood Team, said: “The renewal of the public space protection order and dedicated December operation were just two components of our plan to tackle ASB and criminality in Leigh town centre.

“By working closely with partners in the community, we have ensured that we are providing a range of services for people, meaning that we have multiple resources to utilise during our patrols.

“We are always eager to hear from those in Leigh, so if you have any issues with anything, please do get in touch with us.

"You can report crime on 101, or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. You can also look at attending one of our PACT meetings, which you can find advertised on our social media pages."