Police Now officer joins Operation Elf to make local town centres in Rochdale District safer

The launch of Operation Elf

Police Constable Olivia Main, who joined Greater Manchester Police (GMP) this summer via registered charity Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme, is tackling shoplifting and crime alongside her colleagues in Rochdale as part of ‘Operation Elf’ this Christmas.

Operation Elf is a month-long operation aimed at tackling shoplifting and keeping visitors to Rochdale, Middleton and Heywood town centres safe over the festive season.

The operation sees an increase in high-visibility officers located in hotspot areas across the town centres, with the aim of deterring potential offenders and criminal activity, providing reassurance to residents, and building positive relationships with the community.

The operation also includes plainclothes officers patrolling the town centres, working to catch opportunistic offenders.

PC Main and her colleagues at GMP are being supported by a range of local partners during the operation, including the council, Business Improvement District Rangers, Street Pastors and local businesses. Together, they will work to prevent crime through intelligence sharing and by working with CCTV operators and security staff.

PC Olivia Main said: “I am really pleased to be working alongside my colleagues as part of Operation Elf, helping to protect and serve my local community this Christmas.

“This is my first Christmas on the job, and it is hard being away from my family over the holidays. However, the reality is that police work never stops and we – alongside our colleagues in other public sector and blue light organisations - must keep working over the festive season in order to keep people safe.

“To all those who celebrate the holiday seasons, I want to wish everyone in Rochdale, and across Greater Manchester, a happy Christmas.”

Sergeant Danny Shirazi, from GMP’s Rochdale district, said: “We want people to feel safe visiting our local town centres whatever time of year they visit, and Operation Elf helps us do this by ensuring we have a higher number of officers patrolling at what we know to be a busy time of year.

“I hope that our local residents feel reassured by the presence of our officers and that they, and any would-be offenders, understand that we will not tolerate any type of criminality in the Rochdale district.

“As people flock to centre, I would ask them to help us keep them safe, by following simple steps such as keeping valuables out of easy reach, staying vigilant when using cash machines and not leaving your newly purchased items on show in your car.

“On behalf of everyone at GMP Rochdale, have a wonderful and safe Christmas and New Year.”

Police Now is an independent charitable social enterprise with a mission to transform communities, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and increase the public’s confidence in the police service by recruiting, developing and inspiring outstanding and diverse individuals to be leaders in society and on the policing frontline.