Milkstone and Deeplish a cleaner and safer place

Police officers in south Rochdale took crime prevention to people’s doorsteps as part of a week of intense activity designed to improve the lives of  residents in Milkstone and Deeplish.

The scheme took place between Monday 22 to Sunday 28 February. It was designed to prevent and disrupt criminal activity while improving the environment and giving the community a chance to meet their area police. It resulted in 35 people being stopped and accounted and nine people were given fixed penalty notices. One person was issued a summons following a warrant.

The week saw some positive results with eight visits to licensed premises, including visits to takeaways in a drive supported by the Impact Partnership, Rochdale Borough Council and the benefit fraud services. It was designed to ensure that local businesses abide by their license conditions and help and advice was offered where necessary.

Furthermore, Rochdale Council’s Environmental services and police disposed of many bags of litter from the streets in a grotspot clean up with pupils from St John’s Primary School in Deeplish and Deeplish Primary School.

The fire service conducted 650 home fire risk assessments, supplying smoke alarms and providing fire safety advice to residents. Victim Support and the community safety team joined police in visits around the area. During the visits new areas were identified for potential alley gating schemes.

Police and education welfare also carried out a truancy sweep. It resulted in four pupils being returned to school.

Police Constable Danny Unsworth for Rochdale South Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “The success that we have had this week is an excellent example of the positive results that can be achieved through good partnership working and the activity undertaken in the area so far has had a significant impact on the quality of residents’, businesses’ and visitors lives.

“We are confident that we can maintain this positive work and continue to prevent, detect and disrupt criminal activity, improve the local environment, offer public reassurance and further develop community pride in their surroundings.”