Letters sent to almost 300 Wigan parents

Police across Wigan alongside Wigan's Community Safety Partnership have continued their response to anti-social behaviour (ASB) under Operation Bluefin to support communities across the district.

The operation started at the beginning of March and has resulted in a number of interventions with young people found to be engaging in ASB.

Over 400 contact cards have been issued to young people with almost 300 warning letters sent to parents who children have been seen to be causing disruption to communities in key hotspot locations.

Contact cards highlight to partner agencies young people who are found to be involved in ASB. They act as a pathway for potential warning letters, home visits or referrals to other agencies for further support.

If further contact cards continue to be issued to the same individual, a review determines what enforcement action needs to be taken. As a result of the contact cards, 283 first warning letters have been issued and 76 home visits have been carried out by partner agencies.

A number of dispersal orders have been authorised across the District across hotspot locations with the operation due to continue over the coming weeks to continue to reduce levels of ASB across the district.

Since the lifting of COVID restrictions, officers have also been working closely with Wigan Council's Targeted Youth Support Services to provide pop-up activities for young people across the summer holidays in hotspot locations.

Mounted Officers from the GMP's Specialist Operations have also patrolled various hotspot areas in Leigh and officers from the Transport Unit have deployed to the bus stations at Wigan and Leigh to deter crime. This is alongside Neighbourhood Officers and PCSOs.

Chief Inspector Liz Sanderson of GMP's Wigan District who has been leading the proactive operation said: "We've seen some fantastic results under Operation Bluefin since the start of March. Our operation is not about arresting every young person found to be engaging in ASB but ensuring that they are aware of the consequences of their actions to set them on a different path and give them the support they need.

"Working in partnership with Wigan Council, we have been able to take steps to improving confidence across the district and we're keen to build on our links with communities to ensure they are reporting areas of concern to ourselves.

"We're keen to build on the work my officers have already undertaken alongside resources from across the force and would like to ensure residents are continuing to report things to ourselves either through the online reporting function on our website or by calling 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency."

Councillor Kevin Anderson, cabinet member for Police, Crime and Civil Contingencies at Wigan Council, said: “I am really proud of the results we are seeing from Operation Bluefin. It is a fine example of the ways that we as a council can work in partnership with our colleagues in Greater Manchester Police to improve community safety and boost confidence.

“People across the borough have seen a bigger police presence in the areas that need it the most and the new data on contact cards shows just how effective that has been. But it is not just about warnings and bringing charges against people. Our council teams have been working tirelessly in communities, finding new and innovative ways to provide advice and information which has helped prevent young people from taking the wrong path and understand the consequences.