A previously-successful operation along Deansgate and Peter Street is expanding into the Northern Quarter and Canal Street
Women should be able to go out and be safe (stock image)(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Undercover police officers will patrol bars, streets and popular nightlife spots as part of a plan to keep woman safe in Manchester this summer. Extra training for bar and door staff is also at the heart of the operation.
Greater Manchester Police are working with Manchester council; CityCo, which represents businesses; the University of Manchester; and the city’s Pub and Club Network as the summer months approach.
Police presence will be intensified in town at night as part of the ‘Safer Streets’ campaign. It is aimed at reducing and preventing anti-social behaviour and other crime. A huge part of the operation is aimed at tackling VAWG – violence against woman and girls.
The force has been given an extra £50,000 time year to expand its summer operation from the Deansgate and Peter Street junction to also covering the Northern Quarter and the Gay Village.
Uniformed and plain clothes officers will be in and around popular nightlife hotspots every weekend. Over the past two years the operation has led to a reduction of rape offending by 50 per cent.
Superintendent Nicola Williams(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Speaking about the operation, Superintendent Nicola Williams told the Manchester Evening News: “The officers that work in Safer Streets streets are predominantly in their own clothes. They are local officers that have a knowledge of the city.
“They have a briefing before they’re deployed with current data, crime trends, any information we’ve got about potential offenders, people to look out for or people that might be wanted.
“It’s about them seeing what’s going on because they’ve got that local knowledge. I think that’s why it’s been so effective.
“Women should be able to go out and be safe, but this is a positive effect for everybody. We want people to have a safe night out and it’s absolutely a priority for me and my team.”
The project focuses on prevention of incidents and training of staff at venues in terms of spotting and calling out suspect behaviour and safeguarding vulnerable people.
It is hoped incidents of rape, sexual assault, spiking, harassment voyeurism – and more – will be slashed. Last week, 150 bar staff in the Northern Quarter were trained on spiking and the ‘Ask for Angela’ scheme.
“It’s a collective effort,” Supt Williams added. “Officers from my team and the council go into premises and we train people working in a night time economy.
Councillor Joanna Midgley(Image: Manchester Evening News)
“There is now an input at one of the university courses in the hospitality degree about this kind of stuff. We are looking to further expand the training to, for example, taxi companies, people working in the transport system. That’s something that we can progress.”
As well as rape offences halving during the campaign from December 2023 to March 2025, theft from person offences went down by 61pc and robbery 39pc.
Spiking and sexual offence reports went up by 3pc and 31pc. GMP say that is due to an increase in reporting by door and bar staff.
Supt Williams added: “We’ve got much more awareness than we ever had about rape and sexual offences. Every single student officer that joins now is trained specifically to deal with those offences should they get called to do so and all our detectives are trained.
“We’re absolutely going in the right direction and I think it’s that that has enabled us to achieve those reductions.”
Deputy leader of Manchester council Joanna Midgley, said: “Through the launch of the Council’s pioneering WalkSafe initiative and Night Time Safety Charter we have demonstrated just how seriously we take the issue of violence against women and girls.
“Manchester is an incredible place to live, work and play and we have a night time economy and social scene which is renowned. However no one, regardless of their gender, should fear for their safety when experiencing Manchester.
“Alongside our colleagues in the Police and other city-wide agencies we want to send the message that we are doing everything in our power to ensure Manchester is safe for everyone.”