July Policing Column – Chief Superintendent Peter Mason

Chief Superintendent Peter Mason

Over the summer period we will be working with partners to target all hotspot areas for anti-social behaviour, and I would remind parents that they need to know where their children are and ensure they are not causing annoyance to others.

The town centre will also be receiving extra attention to target drink-related violent crime. While we have no issue with people going into the town centre to enjoy themselves, anyone who acts in a violent, disrespectful or drunken manner should expect to be robustly dealt with. To stay safe during a night out I would remind everyone, but especially women, not to drink excessively, to travel in company and not to walk home alone at night.

Rochdale is still suffering from insecurity burglaries, and so I would remind all householders to ensure that they keep windows and doors locked when they are in the garden or other areas of the house. One in three burglaries happen when doors and windows are left open or unlocked, even when you’re at home.

I would also urge young people not to flaunt expensive items like mobile phones and iPods to avoid having them stolen or becoming a victim of robbery.

Finally, I congratulate the Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre on being awarded the prestigious ‘park mark’ award for the security of its carpark. Any measures that can be introduced to reduce vehicle crime in the town are to be welcomed.

Tune in to the police show on the first Thursday of each month from 3pm to 5pm on Rochdale’s Crescent Radio, 97FM.

Neighbourhood Area Updates

North Rochdale (covering Norden, Healey, Bamford, Central, Town Centre and Spotland & Falinge)

Operation Halle will be run over the coming month to address a wide range of criminal activity in the Central ward and Falinge. Our surgeries will also continue to run at Asda every Saturday from 10am to 2pm. These not only enable us to engage with the community, but having officers on the premises also helps prevent shoplifting and under 18s from buying alcohol.

South Rochdale (covering Kingsway, Castleton, Milkstone & Deeplish and Balderstone & Kirkholt)

We will be running a ‘week of action’ with our partners in Kirkholt from Monday 14 to Sunday 20 July. Policing activity will include extra patrols at school leaving time, a high-visibility presence around burglary hotspots and a mobile police station located at St Thomas’s Church on Thursday 17 July and at Mannings on the Strand on Friday 18 July.

Pennines (covering Littleborough Lakeside, Wardle and West Littleborough, Smallbridge and Firgrove and Milnrow and Newhey) 

During June we made some significant arrests as part of Operation Drapes on the Great Howarth estate at Smallbridge.

The operation focused on a handful of offenders who between them were responsible for incidents of aggravated burglary, robbery, racially aggravated public order, assaults and damages.

And finally

We need you to…

Tell us about your issues, who's responsible and where you feel we should be prioritising our resources.

We will be working closely with our partners to deal with the issues deemed a priority for the local community.

To let us know what you see as a priority in your area, please contact us on the following numbers or e-mail addresses, or attend one of the surgeries listed below.

North Rochdale – 0161 856 9961 / rochdalenorthpartnership@gmp.police.uk
South Rochdale – 0161 856 8549 / rochdalesouthpartnership@gmp.police.uk
Pennines – 0161 856 4556 / penninepartnership@gmp.police.uk

Upcoming surgeries and meetings
South Rochdale
PCSO surgery
Deeplish Community Centre
Wednesday 6 August, 6pm – 7.30pm

Pennines
Partnership and Communities Together meeting
Meadowfield Community Centre, Smallbridge and Firgrove
Thursday 17 July, 2pm

Partnership and Communities Together meeting
Wardle Community Building, Wardle and West Littleborough
Wednesday 23 July, 2pm