Police bid to tackle crime and disorder

Police are reminding revellers of the dangers of excessive drinking

Police have launched Operation Elf across the Rochdale borough to crackdown on crime and disorder during the Christmas period.

Additional officers are patrolling town centres during the day and maintaining radio contact with retailers and CCTV operators to help prevent shoplifting and pickpocketing. They are also monitoring car parks to help prevent items being stolen from vehicles.

Tomorrow (Friday 16 December), truancy checks will run to ensure that all pupils are at school, and on 21 and 23 December police and transport officials will board buses to check tickets and provide reassurance to passengers.

To combat underage sales of alcohol, officers are checking licensed premises and venues are being encouraged to serve drink responsibly as part of the Pub Watch scheme. Revellers involved in any kind of disorder will be barred from entering premises.

At night, officers will intervene at the first opportunity to stop trouble from escalating, and ‘direction to leave’ notices will be issued to those whose presence in an area is likely to contribute to disorder.

Superintendent John Graves of Greater Manchester Police’s Rochdale Division said: “Town centres are popular at this time of year due to the concentration of shops, bars and clubs, and we have been preparing thoroughly for the festive period. The success of operations like this often comes down to early police intervention, and our officers will act quickly and robustly to deal with any incidents that threaten public safety.”

As Christmas approaches, police are reminding revellers of the dangers of excessive drinking as part of their Think Safe Drink Safe campaign.

Each year, emergency services have to deal with the consequences of irresponsible binge drinking, and so officers are encouraging people to enjoy the festivities without putting themselves in danger.

Superintendent Graves added: “We don’t want to stop people from having a good time in the run up to Christmas, but it’s important to remember the dangers that irresponsible drinking can lead to.

“To help people have a safe and enjoyable time we recommend they pace their drinks by mixing them with non-alcoholic rounds and stick with friends throughout the night. It is also important to take a taxi home that you can trust, so always pre-book with a reputable private hire firm.”