Crime down and £133K retained in the public’s purse following problem-solving initiatives in Altrincham town square

The South Neighbourhood Team and Trafford Prevention Hub proactively responded to an increase in crime in the Goose Green area of Altrincham with a strategic plan, devised and implemented in conjunction with Trafford Council and local business representatives, addressing a rise in serious assaults and public order offences occurring on weekends around popular venues in that area.

Our dynamic response yielded positive results for the community. Over a three-month period between October and December 2023, there were 29 fewer recorded crimes in the Goose Green area compared to the three months between the start of July and the end of September 2023.

The increase in crime coincided with post-COVID changes in the night-time economy patterns, with late-night activities being a key issue as people returned to usual weekend activities.

Officers alongside Trafford Council colleagues and managers from popular venues met on a fortnightly basis to outline key issues and develop a crime reduction and prevention plan.

Collectively, we put plans into action with targeted patrols during peak hours, effectively utilising CCTV, implementing more stringent ID checks, educating staff about crime trends, and increasing public awareness about safety, including drink spiking.

Our efforts were bolstered by new CCTV installations, regular conversations with building landlords, and clear patrol plans for Neighbourhood teams.

In addition, analysis of data showed that as a direct result of our intervention more than £133,000 of public money would have been saved due to the cross-collaborative working and crime prevention strategy laid out between GMP, Trafford Council and bar managers. This equated to a crime reduction in the Goose Green area of 50% over the intervention period of three months.

The good work was recently recognised at the GMP Problem Orientated Policing (POP) Awards, where the initiative was recognised as being the best Location Based POP in the force.

Focused high visibility patrols were carried out by the South Trafford Neighbourhood Team, whilst the Prevention Hub regularly reviewed crime data and ensured that activity was coordinated across all partners.

Inspector Gary Coglan from the Trafford Neighbourhood Prevention Hub said: “The work we undertook in Goose Green came off the back of the demand in our service, we were seeing a lot of incidents likely due to an increase in footfall around the Altrincham town square stemming out of a more bustling night-time economy.

“We devised a plan with some of the main stakeholders in that area and highlighted key points for improvement which we believed would see a decrease in incidents.

“The visible police presence not only acted as a deterrent to potential criminal activities but also assured the community of our commitment to their safety and well-being.

“Furthermore, the community's perception of our presence and responsiveness has markedly improved. Regular foot patrols by our officers in the area have fostered a sense of safety and trust among residents and visitors.

“Our work in the Goose Green area is not done, we are always looking for ways to proactively improve the way we operate.

“We have built lasting relationships with business owners, key members of the community and the public, and it is our commitment that we will continue in our pursuit of bringing crime down throughout Greater Manchester.”