Anne Scott

Foreword

The Hindley Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) is committed to addressing the concerns of local communities.

Through speaking to residents at our regular community meetings and surgeries we have identified several priorities.

These are the issues which affect your quality of life, and we are constantly working with Wigan Council, Wigan and Leigh Housing, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and other partners to address them.

Our community meetings, surgeries and priorities are listed on the left-hand side of this page.

* If you don’t have time to attend surgeries you can now fill in a questionnaire at the bottom of this page under the heading: Tell us your priorities

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To reduce anti-social behaviour across the borough, police are keen to get more young people involved in positive activities.

Here are some links to websites catering for young people:


www.wbsc.org.uk  

www.wbsc.org.uk/sdu_services_content.php?services_id=5  

www.wlct.org/Culture/linconline/linconline.htm  

www.wlct.org/Culture/linconline/woft.htm  

www.wlct.org/Culture/linconline/localclubs.htm  


See gmp.police.uk/wigan for details of recent convictions and the latest police activity in the borough (see top right corner of web page under News).


Policing Update

Operation Reindeer ran throughout December until 3 January. The initiative saw the team making reassurance visits to the homes of repeat callers, patrolling areas where young people were gathering, seizing alcohol, monitoring off-licences and working with Wigan Council’s Children & Young People’s Services to provide alternative activities for young people.

In addition, the team held crime prevention inputs at supermarkets including Tesco, Netto and Somerfields and kept their eyes on banks, building societies, post offices and car parks during patrols. Extra staff were on duty during ‘Mad Friday’ as well as other key dates for the night-time economy, and overall the operation ensured that the vast majority of Hindley and Ashton communities were able to enjoy a safe and crime-free Christmas.

The team is hoping to build on recent reductions in burglary and vehicle crime by continuing to target offenders and inform the public about simple crime prevention measures like not leaving valuables in cars and making sure doors are locked.

In December there were a number of incidents involving beggars in the Hindley and Platt Bridge areas, and these have now reduced thanks to certain individuals being arrested. Police will continue to monitor the area and take any necessary action.

PC Nicola Lears made an excellent arrest in the Bickershaw area in December. There had been several reports of lead theft from porches and flat roofs, and due to some good detective work by PC Lears an offender was arrested and later convicted. Wigan and Leigh Homes are now looking to secure an injunction to keep him off their estate.

The team is currently working on an initiative in the Newbridge School area of Platt Bridge. Since the school opened police have seen an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour in the area, and are now working with the head teacher and the council’s neighbourhood teams to address this. Also, officers in Hindley and Ashton are working on a plain-clothes initiative to target burglars, robbers and car criminals.

Looking forward, the team will be focusing on the Hindley and Borsdane areas through to March 2010, as there has been a rise in anti-social behaviour and criminal damage there. An operation will run to target problematic young people and off-licences and illegally purchased alcohol will be seized. Parents will also be asked to come and pick up their children if they are found to be drunk or causing problems. To help with this effort the team has the support of Operation Staysafe which was a successful multi-agency initiative run last year to cut anti-social behaviour.


Policing Pledge

Police across Wigan borough are now delivering the Policing Pledge, giving people a clear minimum standard of service they can expect from their Neighbourhood Policing Teams.

They are asking residents for their input to ensure that the service is focused on the needs of local communities and addresses the issues that matter most to people.

Find out more at gmp.police.uk/pledge  


How to contact us

To contact the Hindley Neighbourhood Policing Team call 0161 856 7436 or e-mail hindley.apt@gmp.police.uk

For non-emergency calls or to report crime call 0161 872 5050 or for more information visit gmp.police.uk/wigan   

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Only call 999 in an emergency where there is a threat to life or crime in progress.

Hindley Neighbourhood Policing Team aims to provide you with the best possible police service and we are here to listen and respond to matters that concern you the most.

There are many ways you can have your say and influence what your local Neighbourhood Policing Team concentrate on. We hold regular community meetings and police surgeries where you can meet the team and raise any policing issues you have. Or, you can complete a brief on-line questionnaire where you can highlight any concerns you may have about crime or anti-social behaviour in this area.

All this information is then collated and fed back into formal monthly meetings where the neighbourhood priorities will be set.

We will then take these and work with other agencies to deal with your neighbourhood priorities, and report back through this site as well as the meetings and police surgeries, to tell you what we have done to help resolve your issues.