The officers tackling anti-social behaviour in Greater Manchester

Police Now officers are playing a vital role in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in Greater Manchester.

Communities nationwide where Police Now officers have been posted for the last 22-months have seen 38,772 fewer incidents of anti-social behaviour compared to the same time period from October 2016 – equivalent to a 14 per cent drop.

Officers on Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme have been working alongside their colleagues within their local neighbourhood teams.

As well as the drop in anti-social behaviour, communities have also seen 14,301 fewer incidents of criminal damage & arson – a fall of 13 per cent. There were 12,460 fewer incidents of burglary – a fall of 16 per cent – and 31,732 fewer incidents of theft, equivalent to a 14 per cent fall.

PC Kim Daniel’s quick thinking led to the swift arrest and subsequent conviction of a man for breaching a harassment order. PC Daniel of GMP, went to an emergency call involving a violent man banging on a distressed woman's door. When she was told the man’s name over her police radio, she immediately recognised him as being on a wanted list and alerted colleagues.

When she arrived at the scene, she saw a drunk man shouting and swearing. He was banned from being on that street because of his previous behaviour and was subsequently arrested for breaching bail and a harassment order. He was convicted and given a custodial sentence for these offences.

PC Daniel said: “Localised problems of anti-social behaviour really affect people's day to day lives. I believe having a diverse neighbourhood team, who routinely patrol and investigate particular areas, can positively impact crime and create long term relationships between the police and the public.”

PC James Maskrey, also of GMP, stopped a group of youths throwing bricks at a block of flats housing vulnerable adults by securing the abandoned building where they were getting the debris from. He has been active on the force’s social media in a bid to build community engagement.

He also rehoused a woman in her 90s who was living in a home without a proper kitchen, central heating or bed. At times she was heating her home by burning sticks she found on the ground. PC Maskrey first visited the woman in December and realised the urgency of the situation. He spoke with a senior manager in the local housing group and secured a fully refurbished ground floor flat on the same street. When PC Maskrey called to check on the woman in her new home, he was concerned when she didn’t answer the door. It turned out she was simply enjoying her best sleep in years.

PC Maskrey, a former Royal Marine Reserve, said: “A diverse workforce in policing is something that benefits the community. That means being diverse not only in the sense of race, sex, gender and religion but also life experience. Having served in the Royal Marine Reserves, I am now the Armed Forces Lead on the City of Manchester South Division.”

Police Now’s mission is to transform communities by recruiting, developing and inspiring diverse leaders in policing.

Police Now has recruited a total of 1,830 officers across 33 forces in the UK, including within Greater Manchester Police (GMP) who have partnered with Police Now for the past four years, with 163 police constables and 22 detective constables joining the Force via this route.

Police Now consistently recruits more officers who are women or from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds compared to any other entry route into policing. Police Now recruitment data shows that of those starting the Police Now Programmes in Greater Manchester in 2019 and 2020, nearly a quarter (24 per cent) identified as coming from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background.

Co-founder of Police Now and former Detective Chief Inspector David Spencer, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the positive impact our participants continue to have within their local communities, and their commitment to driving positive change with their colleagues so that everyone in our society, including the most vulnerable, have a chance to thrive”.