Police urge you to party safe this Christmas

Drink Responsibly, Be Polite, Walk Away from Trouble, Have a Great Time

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Greater Manchester Police officers will be out in force in town and city centres across the county this Friday (14 December) to ensure that everyone can enjoy a safe and trouble-free night out at one of the busiest times of the year for pubs and clubs.

Under Operation Advent divisional, Special and specialist operation officers will patrol trouble hot spot areas, urging party goers to drink responsibly and advising them how to avoid falling prey to thieves and get home safely. They will also be on the look-out for trouble makers and nipping any potential disorder in the bud before it has a chance to escalate.

Officers say that excessive alcohol consumption can decrease people’s awareness of what is going on around them, increasing their chances of becoming a victim of crime or being drawn into violent confrontations.

Chief Inspector Gareth Parkin from the Manchester City Centre policing team said “Our town and city centres are lively, vibrant places that offer a wide range of venues for people to celebrate this time of year with family and friends.

“We want people to do that but in a way that keeps them safe and does not spoil other people’s night out.

“GMP officers will be watching out for trouble makers this weekend and making sure that they do not get a chance to ruin what is generally a good start to the holiday season.

“People can help by drinking responsibly, walking away from trouble and staying with and watching out for friends and planning how they will get home safely.

“Christmas is a magical time of peace and good-will to all. With your help at this special time of year we can ensure that it continues to stay that way”.

People can follow what police are doing for Operation Advent on GMP’s social media networks that include Twitter (using #GMPAdvent) Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and AudioBoo.

They can also use these sites to find out what officers are doing to fight crime in their neighbourhood, comment on police activity and get advice on how they can keep themselves and their property safe from criminals.

In addition, there is an on-line Advent calendar on the GMP website featuring short daily video clips of seasonal crime prevention advice. The message on Friday 14 December features Chief Inspector Gareth Parkin advising party goers on how to stay safe while having fun.