Operation hydrofoil smashes violent crime

Operation Hydrofoil, a force-wide day of action targeting violent crime by Greater Manchester Police and its partners resulted in 153 arrests being made last Friday (27 June).

The hard-hitting operation made 55 of these arrests during 512 home visits made by police and court enforcement officers to violent offenders wanted for outstanding fines and breach of bail conditions. The officers also served 402 warrants during these visits. The other 98 arrests were made for violent behaviour in town centres and other trouble hot spots across the county.

Police and Trading Standards officers were also busy on the day visiting 100 shops to check they were not selling knives to young people under 18 years of age. Officers also checked 173 on and off–licensed premises for sale of alcohol to underage young people.

More than 224 stop and searches and stop and accounts were made in town centres. A further 22 were made on buses, where 22 police officers supported ticket inspectors checking 1,194 passenger’s tickets and issuing 30 fines for fare dodging. Eight fixed penalty notices and six arrests were made on the GMPTE supported initiative where more than 100 buses were boarded by police officers.

Chief Inspector Chris Hankinson said: “This day of action by Greater Manchester Police and our partners has sent a clear message to the violent minority who live in our county that their anti social behaviour will not be tolerated.

“Over the next few months we intend to build on the violent crime reductions we have made in the last few years. These have seen a 28 per cent reduction in violent crime when comparing last year to four years previously meaning 8,457 fewer victims of violence.

“More recently there has been a decrease of 13 per cent in violent crime when comparing annual figures for 2007/08 with the year before, meaning 3,428 fewer victims of violent crime.

“The law-abiding majority of people in our county can rest assured that we will continue our fight against violent crime, drive it down even further, allowing them to go about their business in safety.”