Operation Vigilant continues to disrupt child exploitation activities across Rochdale

A police operation set up last summer to disrupt child exploitation in Rochdale is continuing to keep children safe.

Operation Vigilant – the multi-agency response to child exploitation run by the Sunrise Complex Safeguarding Team based at Rochdale police station – was set up in the summer of last year and acts on intelligence received from local residents who use GMP’s 101 phone service.

The Sunrise Team, set up in 2013, is a specialist multi-agency team made up of social workers, police, health workers and PACE workers tackling child sexual exploitation (CSE) and related harm in the borough of Rochdale.

PACE (Parents Against Child Exploitation) work closely to support the parents, or any other family member or guardian, in a care role.
 

Read more: Rochdale Sunrise Team explain how child sexual exploitation and related harm is being tackledPublished: 02 July 2017

Thanks to intelligence recently received, during the latest monthly Operation Vigilant day of action on Thursday last week, a number of illegal vapes were seized and 24 nitrous oxide canisters will not be making their way onto the streets of Rochdale.

With a shared ethos of ‘Never Again’, child exploitation and protection remains a priority for the team, which consists of GMP officers, children’s services, youth workers, social workers, health professionals, housing officers and those working in public protection services.

The team – which is nationally recognised as a model of best practice and has helped to detect, prevent, disrupt and prosecute significant numbers of recent and non-recent CSE offenders (child sexual exploitation) over several years – was recently recognised by an Ofsted inspection as ‘having good practice and systems in place to identify and investigate children at risk’.

 

 

In addition to the Sunrise Team, GMP also has a dedicated CSE unit working across its force, the Force CSE Unit, which was set up in 2021.

The GMP Force CSE Unit was established in order to commit dedicated specialist skills and resources to large-scale and complex CSE investigations.

In addition to investigating large-scale and complex cases, the unit also has strategic oversight of all multi-victim/multi-suspect CSE investigations taking place across Greater Manchester.

Since establishment, the Force CSE Unit has charged eight suspects with 82 CSE-related offences and arrested an additional 50 suspects – many of whom currently remain on bail pending further enquiries.

In 2022, GMP recorded 37 more CSE-related crimes across the region’s boroughs than in the previous year – taking the number of live investigations into recent and non-recent abuse involving multiple victims and/ or multiple suspects up to 62.

Sunrise is responsible for assessing received intelligence every 24 hours and, as a monthly neighbourhood policing operation, seek to disrupt individuals who are looking to exploit children.

In the last 12 months, the Sunrise Team has dealt with 121 cases that have been successfully disrupted.

A lot of this intelligence refers to local ‘hotspot’ premises where young people congregate and receive free food, alcohol and drugs.

Since 2012, the Sunrise Team has seen over 200 years of jail sentences handed down to offenders and in 2017, it connected with Greater Manchester Police's local organised crime team and has been used as a model across Greater Manchester and beyond.

The Sunrise Team was also named best 'Public Sector Team' at the Children and Young People Now Awards, showcasing the very best work with children, young people and families nationally.
 

Read more: Child exploitation team scoop major national awardPublished: 19 March 2021

Chief Superintendent Nicky Porter, who is the district commander in Rochdale, said: “We are absolutely committed in Rochdale to disrupt local exploitation of children, identify those who are responsible and bring them to justice.

“All of the response and neighbourhood officers have taken part in a number of awareness sessions, delivered by senior leaders and multi-agency managers, including trauma-informed response, safeguarding, professional curiosity, intelligence and evidence gathering and enforcement.

“This enables our officers to take a proactive approach of targeting individuals and groups committing both CSE and CCE (child criminal exploitation) offences. It also ensures that professional standards and expectations when engaging with young people, whilst maintaining trust and confidence.”

Assistant Chief Constable Sarah Jackson said: “We continue to provide specialist support to the victims of child exploitation as we work tirelessly to identify, charge and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“At the heart of this is our ongoing joint working with partners to ensure that we share our collective powers to protect children and disrupt offenders.”

Detective Superintendent Dave Kehoe, Head of GMP’s Force CSE Unit, added: “With charges on the increase, I am confident that we are making a difference to survivors’ experiences of the criminal justice system. There is, however, always more to be done so the announcement of new measures alongside the ongoing recruitment into the force’s dedicated CSE unit is a promising development.

“We know how hard it can be for survivors to come forward so I would like to use this opportunity to promise them that the force CSE unit will thoroughly investigate abuse, regardless of time passed, and will continue to share best practice with colleagues on districts across Greater Manchester to ensure a consistent multi-agency response which prioritises support and outcomes for survivors.”

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Could you spot a child who is at risk of CSE (child sexual exploitation) or CCE (child criminal exploitation)?

Spot the signs of child exploitation: Going missing for periods of time or regularly returning home late; skipping school or being disruptive in class; appearing with unexplained gifts or possessions that can’t be accounted for; experiencing health problems that may indicate a sexually transmitted infection; having mood swings and changes in temperament; using drugs and/or alcohol; displaying inappropriate sexualised behaviour, such as over-familiarity with strangers, dressing in a sexualised manner or sending sexualised images by mobile phone ("sexting"); increasing their screen time or showing unusual use of online platforms, such as websites, social media, apps or games; they may also show signs of unexplained physical harm, such as bruising and cigarette burns.

If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police, or a support agency so you can get the help and support available.

- Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Manchester provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated response to men, women and children who live or have been sexually assaulted within Greater Manchester. They offer forensic medical examinations, practical and emotional support as well as a counselling service for all ages. Services are available on a 24-hour basis and can be accessed by calling 0161 276 6515.

- Greater Manchester Rape Crisis is a confidential information, support and counselling service run by women for women over 18 who have been raped or sexually abused at any time in their lives. Call on 0161 273 4500 or email help@manchesterrapecrisis.co.uk

- Survivors Manchester provides specialist trauma informed support to male victims in Greater Manchester who have experienced sexual abuse, rape or sexual exploitation. Call 0161 236 2182.