Crime-fighting hub sets pace

Sgt Rob Howarth talks to Treasury Minister David Gauke during his visit to Oldham Police’s headquarters

Minister praises police action

A GOVERNMENT minister looking for efficiencies visited Oldham Police to find out about value for money ideas.

David Gauke, the new Exchequer Secretary, travelled to the Barn Street station yesterday to talk to local officers about their new crime-fighting hub.

He also met colleagues who are tackling gun and gang crime, and officers finding faster ways of processing prisoners to free police for front line work.

Mr Gauke is part of the team looking for ways to save billions by cutting 25 per cent off public spending, and will report back to Chancellor George Osborne.

He said: “There are going to be some real tough decisions about spending and the key is to ensure we get greater efficiencies and more for less, while protecting front line services.
“Here in Oldham there is real progress and resources are being deployed very well, focusing on matters which really count and make a very dramatic impact on the time it takes to deal with crimes, and on detection rates.”

He heard from Insp Jamie Daniels, who is in charge of the new hub operation, how targeting high-priority offenders, and concentrating on crime or anti-social hot spots, with regular updates every few hours, has reduced crime in Oldham and increased detection rates.

Average time to finalise a crime has gone down from 53 days to six days; the backlog of crimes has dropped from 1,704 to 666; and attendance at 999 emergency calls within 10 minutes is at 100 per cent.

Officers build up local knowledge alongside neighbourhood officers, and are fed intelligence from sources such as Crimestoppers, forensics and court staff.

The hub has been working since June to help officers react speedily to offenders who breach bail, carry out warrants and use DNA or fingerprint matches to arrest suspects.

Officers hold frequent “pacesetter” meetings throughout the day to update intelligence, feedback information about wanted suspects and follow up leads.

The minister also met Insp Danny Inglis in the Prisoner Processing Unit, and heard how the time it takes for front line officers at the station to pass on a prisoner has been slashed to 12 minutes when it could take an hour in the past.

He also met the Oldham West Inspector Alan Humphries, and Sgt Rob Haworth, from the Operational Support Unit.

They told the minister Oldham has had two gun deaths linked to gangs in less than two years, and described how they tackle gang crime by focusing on priority neighbourhoods and using neighbourhood police and PCSOs to get to know the community to build up trust.

Insp Humphries said officers also aim to disrupt anti-social behaviour at street level by tactics including stopping vehicles and challenging people on the street, as well as trying to divert youngsters to new youth services and outreach workers.

Backlogs of reported crimes were being cleared and officers had set up appointment systems to make sure people were being spoken to.

He added: “It has been challenging and hard work. Some of our officers are finding it quite a stretch but they are doing it with a smile on their faces and can see it is the right way to go.”