Wigan neighbourhood policing teams to get dozens of extra officers

The new neighbourhood policing model has been launched following a “vigorous review and public consultation” and means that are more than 25 neighbourhood officers operating in Wigan from now.

Bosses say that with the extra warranted police officers, there will be a much greater focus on officers and partner agencies working together in communities to fight crime and solve local problems – like burglary, speeding and drug dealing.

They say that through a “back-to-basics approach”, members of the public will know their dedicated named teams who will be more visible in communities and more accessible than ever before, with a commitment that they will be ringfenced to focus on their neighbourhoods rather than backfilling other duties.

From today (March 20), neighbourhood officers can be contacted directly through the new and improved Your Area pages on the force’s website and the brand-new community alerts system Bee in the Loop.

Bee in the Loop will also allow those who sign up to be amongst the first to know about incidents and emergencies; get involved in shaping local priorities; and receive targeted crime prevention advice.

The neighbourhood teams, made up of PCSOs, PCs, sergeants, and inspectors, will also benefit from the support of specialist teams - including their own local Neighbourhood Prevention Hubs and Neighbourhood Crime Teams to help them reduce and investigate crime in a way which secures the best possible outcomes for victims and communities.

The Prevention Hubs will also work with partners to address repeat offending and demand while the Crime Teams will lead on operations to target offenders who are committing the most common types of crime.

Chief Constable Stephen Watson said: “The people of Greater Manchester are at the heart of this new neighbourhood policing model, which is reflective of us taking a back-to-basics approach to traditional policing. Through public consultation, we listened to our communities and this is the embodiment of our action to ensure they are on the receiving end of the very best policing services. It combines the reassurance that comes from having local, visible, and accessible officers bound to a patch, with a determined focus on fighting crime.

“The model recognises that dedicated named officers are some of the most valuable in communities and that, as highly valued as they are, Police Community Support Officers do not have the powers to deal with those issues and crimes which we know are most concerning those who live and work in Greater Manchester. Whilst retaining a minimum of one PCSO in each electoral ward, the number of warranted officers will increase exponentially as we rebalance the teams.

“35 neighbourhoods will be serviced 24/7 by 89 teams, made up of 1,148 police officers and staff – 80 per cent of whom will have warranted powers.

“As a result, the teams will have more time to spend in neighbourhoods and, benefitting from the continued support of partner agencies and that of specialist teams, they will also have more resources to fight crime and build resilient communities which can join with us to send a messages that crime is not tolerated in any community and that GMP will do everything in its power to take criminals off our streets.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “This is the most significant change to policing in Greater Manchester in a generation and one which will command huge public support.

“I am ever aware that we have asked our residents to contribute more to support GMP and I am glad that we are now in a position to give them a clear return on that investment: a guaranteed, dedicated policing team in every single community with an increase in the number of warranted officers.

“GMP has already made great strides and is now the best force in the country on answering 999 calls. But there is more to come. I have said I want to see proactive, accountable policing in every single community in Greater Manchester. With an outstanding leader in Stephen Watson, and this new neighbourhood structure, that is exactly what GMP is set up to deliver and I am confident that they will.”

Deputy Mayor for Police, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, Kate Green, said: “The investment in neighbourhood policing and this new model shows that our priority is local policing – keeping people safe where they live and work. Neighbourhoods will have more officers with more powers who will be taking action to tackle the everyday crime that blights communities from car theft to anti-social behaviour. The neighbourhood teams will be ring-fenced to only work on local issues and to get to know their community and what the issues are.

“We also want people to know who their local police teams are, and so their names and contact details will be available on the new website. People can also be alerted to incidents in their area and be given crime prevention advice through the Bee in the Loop community alert system, funded through the police precept. We want people to have confidence in local policing and getting to know their neighbourhood teams by making this information available should help build stronger relationships.

“I believe these changes in local policing will have a positive impact in our local communities and help us all feel safer.”

Bee In The Loop is your direct line to your neighbourhood policing team and will keep you in the loop about what is happening on your street and in your local community. Sign up to receive free text or email alerts – beeintheloop.co.uk