Football match builds bridges with police and refugee community in North Manchester

A football match, held on Wednesday 5 July, brought together officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Operation Vulcan and a group of young people seeking asylum, to help prevent them falling victim to criminal exploitation.

The match was held at Goals football pitches in Manchester with support from a private supported accommodation service: Believe and Achieve Support Limited. The aim of the game – besides football - was to break down barriers using sport to build trust and engagement with the local community.

Whilst the officer’s skill on the pitch didn’t quite match up to their crime fighting skills, they nevertheless managed to win two games and draw two – in what is hoped to be the first of many matches.

Operation Vulcan is GMP’s response to the serious criminality linked to the counterfeit trade in the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways area of Greater Manchester. Whilst the shops selling counterfeit goods have largely disappeared thanks to relentless policing by Operation Vulcan, the fight against other crime types in this area continues.

Sergeant Matthew Donnelly of Operation Vulcan said: “Operation Vulcan is about more than simply shutting down counterfeit street. We want to work with communities to tackle serious crime and turn this into an area that is safe for people to live and work.

“When closing down the shops, we found evidence of criminal exploitation of vulnerable people, many of whom were asylum seekers, being forced to stand on street corners as ‘spotters’ –people who watch out for the police.

“Some were housed in truly awful accommodation – sleeping on dirty mattresses on shop floors in buildings that were essentially falling down around them. This was serious human exploitation that was happening right here in Manchester and it’s important that we the police protect vulnerable people and prevent others from falling victim to criminal gangs.

“To help prevent this, Operation Vulcan hold drop-in sessions to provide information and support to people and charities. One of these drop-in sessions was attended by Believe and Achieve Support Limited – who invited our officers to come and speak to some of the asylum seekers they work with. From here the idea to hold a football tournament came up which we were delighted to take part in.

“The purpose of the match was to re-build trust in the police and try to get these young people to see us as human beings who are here to protect them – not just people in a uniform as we know that can often be a barrier to conversations.

“We want to try and help those people shape their futures into the best that they can be.”