Operation AVRO rolls back into Rochdale to boost neighbourhood ranks

Following the announcement of Greater Manchester Police’s new neighbourhood policing model, GMP officers across Rochdale have been continuing the fight to prevent and reduce crime across the borough with increased activity this week.

With an additional 264 warranted police officers posted to neighbourhood teams across Greater Manchester, the new model amplifies focus on partnership working within communities to fight crime and solve local problems – including burglary, speeding and drug dealing.

As part of GMP’s mission to support communities, force wide initiative Operation AVRO returned to Rochdale on Tuesday 21 March, with officers tackling issues and offenders by increasing visibility on patrol, undertaking traffic operations across the borough, and executing warrants for wanted offenders.

Neighbourhood officers are supported by the force’s specialist operations team, the local authority, and other partners in an effort to take the fight back to criminals.

Operation AVRO is a force wide initiative that delivers extra resources and specialist officers to a different district within Greater Manchester each month and launched just over a year ago in Salford in October 2021.

Since then, it has travelled around the force with the operation targeting crimes and concerns that members of the public in that district have told GMP give them the most concern.

With a total of 39 arrests and working closely with partners, such as trading standards and immigration enforcement, as well as the council disruption tactics were used in addition to conducting warrants for illegal dog breeding and tobacco, modern slavery, 'cuckooing', trafficking, fraud and commercial burglary.

Two cannabis farms were also discovered alongside the usual high-profile traffic enforcement which always yields good results.134 offences were recorded of which 86 were for speeding, with two seizures and six arrests.

 

 

Showing precisely why the AVRO day of action is essential for increased community confidence in GMP's ability to continue to protect and serve the public.

Councillor Neil Emmott, leader of Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council, said: "We welcome officers from Greater Manchester Police to the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale for Operation AVRO.

"We have officers across the whole GMP area concentrating on tackling crime within our borough. Last year was a huge success - and I am very appreciative of all the work GMP officers continue to do to protect our community."

Chief Superintendent Nicky Porter, District Commander for the Rochdale district, added: “Neighbourhood policing is imperative to reducing crime and improving trust and confidence across our communities. After consultation with residents within the local area, they told us that issues such as burglary, speeding and anti-social behaviour matter most to them.

“That’s why the new neighbourhood policing model focuses on making GMP more visible on the streets, more responsive to local incidents and more engaged with our communities. We are committed to addressing and tackling issues in our local area, but support from the public is imperative in doing this.

“We understand barriers people may feel in reporting issues within their local area, with the fear of repercussions for many different reasons. However, in addition to reporting concerns via the GMP website or by calling 101, anonymous reports can be made via Crimestoppers. With this information we can really start to build a picture and tackle issues from a different angle, ensuring all information is dealt with sensitively and anonymously.

“Incentives including Operation AVRO and enhancing our neighbourhood teams will continue to take policing in the Rochdale community from strength to strength.”

A new community messaging system, Bee In The Loop has also launched - and is your direct line to your neighbourhood policing team, designed to 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 at beeintheloop.co.uk