Crime busters

OPERATION Hydrofoil . . . representatives from the police and partner agencies that are taking part in GMP’s crackdown on violent crime

POLICE will be flooding the streets of Oldham today in a campaign to stamp out violent crime.

Greater Manchester Police has joined forces with partner agencies to turn up the heat on violent offenders on a focused day of action called Operation Hydrofoil.

In Oldham, special units will patrol town centre hotspots and known offenders who have in the past committed serious assaults and domestic violence will be targeted in their homes.

Police chiefs say violent crime has steadily fallen over the past five years — and they are determined to continue the trend. Woundings are down 28 per cent across Greater Manchester over four years, meaning 8,457 fewer victims.

But they are braced for an expected seasonal increase in the summer months and have organised the clampdown to combat it, using a range of intelligence-led police and partner activity across the whole of the county.

In Oldham town centre, special police units that include mounted officers, dog handlers and officers from the tactical aid and firearms units will supplement local officers policing town centre hotspots at night to provide a high visibility presence and public reassurance.

They will have metal detecting scanners to check for weapons in pubs and clubs. Meanwhile, police and trading standards officers are visiting shops to check for the illegal sale of knives and alcohol to those under-age.

A mobile police van will also be in the town centre handing out leaflets to combat crime.

Elsewhere in the county, extensive automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) operations sited on roads in the vicinity of violence hotspots will check for drink and drug drivers, motorists without tax, insurance or MOT certificates, wanted offenders and those disqualified.

Officers will also join ticket inspectors on First and Stagecoach bus services to tackle fare dodgers and anti-social behaviour. And firefighters will visit firework retailers to check that they are not stocking illegal fireworks and are storing fireworks safely.

Chief Supt Steven Hartley, from GMP, said: “GMP and its partners are committed to making our towns and cities safer places for people to enjoy a night out or go about their legitimate business.

“We have had considerable success with operations such as Siren in Bolton and Stand in Tameside that operate at weekends throughout the year to ensure that people can enjoy the night-life free from the fear of crime.

“Operation Hydrofoil will build on this success, reiterate to offenders that violent behaviour will not be tolerated and reassure people that protecting them and fighting crime are our overriding priorities.”