Neighbourhood Policing Week was a success for Cheshire Police

Our neighbourhood policing teams across the county have shown to the public the fantastic work that goes on day-in and day-out within local policing.

Last week for Neighbourhood Policing Week all nine local policing units took part in the national action involving lots of activity across Cheshire.

From knife sweeps and prevention talks, to positive drugs warrants and a virtual insight to the drug dogs, the week was full of proactive magic that has brought the local community together and has contributed to making Cheshire a hostile place for criminals.

Assistant Chief Constable Bill Dutton said: “I am really pleased with the work that has been done over the last week from officers across the county.

“It is important that we show the local community that we are here and that they can come to us for advice. The amount of engagement that goes on does not go unnoticed and it is important that it continues further throughout the year.

“There has been a lot of work on social media which has shown the public both the results of our officer’s hard work but also what may go on behind the scenes. This was shown brilliantly by police dog Leo on social media.”

 How the local policing units and Special Constabulary performed

In Ellesmere Port there were two drugs warrants, as well as engagement with youngsters to educate on the dangers of the railway. Officers also conducted patrols in anti-social behaviour hotspots, which led to a significant decrease.

In Chester a new policing team was launched on the streets of the city. Officers talked to people walking the streets and engaged with the staff at shops and businesses by promoting resident’s voice. One significant impact was at McDonalds following repeated calls of anti-social behaviour. This led to a dispersal order being put in place at the weekend causing youths to move out of the city.

The rural team in Chester have also been busy. A number of deployments were made to non-enforceable roads due to complaints from the community, including speeding patrols.

In Widnes officers executed a drugs warrant, and also marked 43 bikes and set up over 20 children’s bikes with the help of Bike Right. The engagement didn’t stop there, four talks were held in local schools on building healthy relationships and five gazeebos were set up across the area with safety advice being given on a number of ways to stay safe, as well as 150 resident’s voice surveys being handed out to the local community.

Northwich have been focusing on an operation which involved targeting anti-social use of vehicles. As part of this, numerous drivers have been spoken to. Officers also focused on particular streets to promote resident’s voice and handed out a number of Selecta DNA kits.

In Warrington, apart from the “star of the week” PD Leo showing everyone how he does his job with PC Kerry Barber, there were many other things going on across the town. This included knife sweeps and an operation involving police dogs to disrupt anti-social behaviour and county lines at Warrington West Station with British Transport Police (BTP).

In Runcorn, a number of vehicles were stopped for county lines offences and traffic offences, as well as a positive drugs warrant for Class B drugs and criminal damage. As well as this the Impact advert van travelled around the area to raise more awareness about organised crime in particular county lines, and a number of youth engagement activities including one with Everton Football Club in the community.

Macclesfield ran a three month operation which promoted Select DNA kits along with targeting specific locations. There was a joint operation with BTP at Macclesfield train station targeting and preventing anti-social behaviour and county lines drug activity.

In Congleton and Sandbach officers handed out Selecta DNA kits and promoted residents voice, which resulted in a decrease in acquisitive crime.

In Crewe, Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) have been out and about talking to members of the public and promoting Op Shield with SelectaDNA kits being handed out in the town centre. As well as this, antisocial behaviour hotspots have been patrolled throughout the week, and knife sweeps have been conducted.

As well as local policing units working to make Cheshire a hostile place for criminals, the Special Constabulary also put their mark on Neighbourhood Policing Week. There was five dispersal orders issued and vehicles seized for drugs and driving offences. As well as this, there was support to prevent antisocial behaviour in town centres with officers in non-uniform conducting patrols.