Better service for victims of violent crime

Superintendent Chris Hankinson of Greater Manchester Police’s Rochdale Division

A pilot scheme to improve the standard of service given to victims of violent crime is now running across Rochdale Borough.

It will see police and the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) working more closely, and will run until the end of January.

Between 11.00pm and 5.00am on Friday and Saturday nights – the peak times for violent offences in Rochdale – a constable and a paramedic will attend incidents together in one of the ambulance service’s rapid response vehicles.

Victims can then be given support and advice at the scene.

Superintendent Chris Hankinson of Greater Manchester Police’s Rochdale Division said: "Feedback from victims of violent crime shows there is room for improvement in the support they receive at the scene of an incident and further down the line.

“Now that the borough’s Accident and Emergency department has been withdrawn, victims can sometimes find themselves being taken to Bury or Oldham for treatment without having the chance to speak to a police officer first. This can leave them feeling isolated, and our new way of working aims to rectify that.

“It should also help the ambulance service, as previously they may have had to wait for police to attend violent incidents before their staff could treat victims. This is due to the volatile nature of these situations, which are often alcohol-fuelled.

“Finally, I would like to reassure the public that we will continue to maintain a high-profile presence in and around the borough’s town centres in the run up to Christmas.”
Marie Gamlin, NWAS Operational Manager for the Rochdale area, said: “The partnership working between GMP and North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust is to further enhance the quality of service provided for victims of crime within the Rochdale Borough. It is therefore an opportunity to further advance the excellent relationship between the Ambulance Service and GMP in the Rochdale area.”