Police set to relocate part of its Tactical Aid Unit to Wigan borough

Officers will be stationed at Leigh Police Station, allowing increased visibility as well as improving the response to crime and anti-social behaviour.

The remainder of the team will remain in Manchester.

TAU carries out high-profile disruption and enforcement, targeting serious, organised, and high-impact crime.

It is made up of officers with specialist skills and is deployed wherever it is most needed, including dealing with public order, tackling organised crime, managing large events, and providing specialist search capabilities.

Chief Supt Mark Dexter, GMP’s Head of Specialist Operations, said: “Having a TAU base in Leigh will mean we can better serve the surrounding communities and support the night-time economy in Wigan and Bolton town centres.

“It means we can get to incidents quicker in parts of the north and west of the force area and allows better planning and sharing of resources across the rest of Greater Manchester.

“We also hope having TAU based in Leigh will encourage people who struggle to commute to the centre of Manchester to apply to work for GMP.

“The work is both rewarding and challenging, which provides TAU officers with an interesting and varied career, with opportunities to build on current experience and skills, and develop beyond the traditional patrol and enforcement.”

Chief Supt Emily Higham, GMP's Wigan District Commander, said: "I am delighted that the Tactical Aid Unit is moving in Leigh - this will be a morale boost for the staff who are already working there, but more importantly it means we have more visible policing on the streets of Wigan, Leigh and our surrounding towns.

"TAU is made up of specialist officers who can support my staff with hotspot policing, executing warrants, policing our town centres at the weekend and general visible patrols.

"It is brilliant news for our communities and this will help us tackle crime and support our communities even more.

"I would ask that the people of Wigan and Leigh continue to come forward with your problems and send in your intelligence in via the neighbourhood policing teams or Crimestoppers.

"I want to ensure our new additions at Leigh are kept very busy indeed."

Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, said: “This will make a significant impact to how Greater Manchester Police responds to some of the larger-scale incidents and crimes in parts of the west and north of the city-region.

"It will allow for faster and more efficient deployment of the force’s specialist skills in those areas.

"GMP are committed to securing the very best talent to protect our communities, and TAU officers having a base in Leigh may help us to recruit from a wider pool of experience and skills.”