Have your say on role of policing

THE future of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) will be under the spotlight at a public meeting next Thursday.

Oldham is hosting one of 10 public meetings with GMP Chief Constable Peter Fahy and the chairman of the Greater Manchester Police Authority (GMPA), Moston councillor Paul Murphy.

Oldham residents are invited to Oldham Civic Centre between 6 and 8pm to discuss policing and find out the challenges facing the police and how GMP is performing against its targets.

Chief Constable Fahy said: “These are exceptional times for policing and we’re in a situation we’ve not found ourselves in before.

“GMP faces challenges to deliver the promises we made in the Policing Plan for this year to continue to reduce crime, protect vulnerable people, reduce anti-social behaviour and strengthen local policing, while continuing to deliver value for money.

“We are concentrating on ensuring we preserve frontline services and will continue to focus on neighbourhood policing.

“To make the savings, we face some very difficult decisions between what we know works and what people want.

“This is an opportunity for the people of Oldham to ask questions and discuss the difficult decisions that will be made to ensure that the people of the county are kept safe in the coming years.”

Residents will also be able to meet Oldham Division’s Superintendent for Operations Catherine Hankinson and some neighbourhood policing team officers.

Officers and staff from forensics and the automatic number plate recording team will be displaying some of the technology and techniques police use to deter and catch criminals.

Councillor Murphy said: “These events are an opportunity for us to have a conversation with our residents about this issue and answer their questions as best we can.

“Tough decisions have and will be made but we need to make sure we continue to listen to the public of Greater Manchester and involve them in the challenges we face. This is what these events are about.”