#ResponsePolicingWeek | Day in the life at Wigan

No two days are alike in Greater Manchester Police. It’s an old adage and one that applies to many jobs and careers, but response policing is unique in that when an officer hears a shout over the radio, sees a message drop in their inbox, or attends a cordoned off street, the algorithm of life inevitably means it will be a totally new situation which requires skill, intelligence, and confidence.

Wigan’s C-relief response team is no different and during just one of their shifts, they experienced an array of calls that required a grade-one, blue-lights response, with the ultimate policing priorities of preserving life and protecting the public.

As part of this year’s Response Week of Action, we are taking a look at a day in the life of one of the many response teams in Greater Manchester Police.

Serving the town of Wigan, C-relief were up for a 7am start earlier this month (Friday 16 June 2023) – although come to them on any given day and they could be working either lates or night shifts.

Almost immediately, PC Dom Walsh received a call that colleagues required a van to assist with the transport of a prisoner, and the duo were out straight away to support. Once there, there was a brief hand-over, followed by a drive to the nearest custody suite, where the arrested man was booked into custody.

Not long later, officers received a call concerning a call for the welfare of a woman and were rapidly in their cars en-route to the scene. While there, officers, including PC Walsh, PC Katie Hodson, and PC Jessica Noblet, calmly spoke to those involved and discussed what was best for all parties. A stop-off at a local hospital ensured the woman received the care she needed, with officers staying with her right up until she was safely on a ward.

A similar situation soon followed, and officers were off out to a further concern for welfare. While there, officers spoke extensively to the woman involved and aided her in getting to hospital. Officers provided first-aid to the woman and ensured she had everything with her before being assisted by NHS colleagues.

While bouncing back and forth from Wigan Police Station, their cups-of-tea going cold following each call, all the team remained passionate and upbeat about the work they were doing for the community.

“It’s our job to be out there helping people,” says PC Walsh, who has been a response officer for around three years. “I’ve been in the army, worked for the NHS and been in GMP: they all help people in a different way and every shift I do as a response officer sees me doing just that. You never know what’s going to come in and there’s always a bit of excitement and nervousness, but ultimately, you just want to get out there and do what you can to assist.”

In a ten-hour shift, response officers could receive any number of calls. In addition to the above, they received calls about a dog trapped in a car during the scorching hot weather, received tip-offs about a potential robbery, and attended an abandoned 999 call.

For the latter, it was ultimately a child who had accidentally hit their phone’s emergency call button, but officers must always act with the utmost urgency, as one day it could be a simple mistake, while the next it could be a life-threatening situation. The child – who very politely owned-up - was of course thanked for his honesty.

In any given day, the Wigan officers could receive anything from the comms operators – and the C-relief team – as is every other GMP response team – is always ready for anything.

PC Walsh said: “Being a response officer is something I’ve loved doing since I joined GMP. I’ve got a great team around me and I know we are always looking out for each other when we are on response. It’s hard work and that comes with the territory, but I love being able to help people and doing what I can to help keep Wigan’s streets safe for everyone.”

PC Hodson added: "I've been in response for around three years and with it being my first policing role, it has helped me learn so much. Risk assessment, talking to people, de-escalating tense incidents: all of these things have come up time and time again across the different jobs I've attended.

“There is so much to do in policing, and I've only really just started, but the lessons I've learnt in response will stick with me forever."