“I love your old-style hat!”: Meet the neighbourhood team getting boots on the ground with days of action

Officers in Stockport have ramped up patrols in the town centre as the local team crack down on shoplifting and anti-social behaviour – with a mix of modern law enforcement and bread-and-butter policing.

In a targeted day of action on Wednesday, working with partners in the area, Stockport’s neighbourhood team had around 15 officers patrolling the town centre, ensuring shoppers had a safe and welcoming environment.

During the day, officers arrested three people on suspicion of various shoplifting offences, deterred would-be criminals with rigorous and targeted patrolling, and discussed everything from local concerns to the weather and antiques with visitors to the various retailers.

Officers worked with security guards from Merseyway Shopping Centre and Redrock to discuss best ways in which to assist each other, while jointly patrolling hotspots and helping to co-ordinate work over a shared radio system.

This also included visits to the nearby Peel Centre, to talk to store security about their ongoing efforts against crime.

Sergeant James Senior, who organised the day of action, said that he wants people to know that they can talk to officers about anything, and that they are ultimately there to support the public.

As a neighbourhood officer, Sergeant Senior is particularly keen on tackling anti-social behaviour, and wants people to know that their days of action are clamping down on those who cause a nuisance.

He said: “When I was a youngster, you’d always see a bobby with his custodian helmet standing proudly on a perch in a town centre and it’s always stuck with me. Whether it’s a wave to a kid or a chat with someone about what they think of my hat, myself and my team love chatting to residents – being a part of the community is massively important to us.

“While these days of action get boots on the ground and ensure we get to talk to people, we of course are there to tackle crime, which includes making arrests, stopping criminals and building intelligence.

“We are sending a very clear message to those who disrupt other people’s lives: we will not tolerate it. We are here to protect the public and do our very best for them.

“We work extensively with local partners - retailers, businesses, the council, fellow emergency services – to ensure our overall service to the public is exactly what they expect and deserve. We are getting out as many patrols as possible, and hope to have further days of action very soon.”

Victoria Nichol, Centre Manager for Merseyway and Redrock, said: “Our security team work with the town centre police on a daily basis, and yesterday’s day of action was a fantastic opportunity for my team to spend some intense time on the ground, with them engaging with our customers and retailers.  

“We support the town centre police team's commitment to tackling retail crime and antisocial behaviour in the town centre, and are passionate about our tenants and customers having the best experience when visiting Merseyway & Redrock”.

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