Minister joins GMP patrol as summer crime blitz hits Bury town centre

Thursday, 7 August 2025 15:17

By David Murphy

Home Office Minister Dame Angela Eagle MP joined Greater Manchester Police officers in Bury town centre on Wednesday, 6 August, to see first-hand how a government-backed summer crime crackdown is working to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The minister's visit formed part of the Safe4Summer campaign, Greater Manchester’s local delivery of the Home Office’s national Safer Streets initiative. The project is focused on curbing anti-social behaviour (ASB) in town centres and community hotspots through high-visibility patrols, targeted enforcement and partnership working.

Dame Angela joined Bury’s neighbourhood policing team as they toured key areas of the town centre, visiting local businesses, council security teams and frontline officers. She also visited the Sir Robert Peel statue, honouring the founder of modern British policing.

Speaking during her visit, Dame Angela said:

“We want high streets across the country to be places where people can feel safe, enjoy themselves and where local shops can succeed. This is why we have launched a summer blitz on crime in over 500 town centres nationwide, including in Bury.

“It was fantastic to see how Greater Manchester Police are working hard to deter shop theft, anti-social behaviour and other town centre crime across the region. The local police with their partners are doing a great job.”

Greater Manchester Police reports that since the Safe4Summer initiative launched in late June, officers have made 239 arrests across the region for offences including retail crime, public order and violence.

Over 1,000 stop-searches have been carried out, with officers dedicating thousands of hours to patrols in hotspot areas.

Superintendent Jen Kelly, who leads GMP’s Safe4Summer team, said:

“We understand and acknowledge the frustrations that ASB can cause people as they go about their lives, and the Safer Streets Initiative is a project we are fully backing.

“Officers across every district are targeting hotspots the public has told us about, tackling everything from nuisance e-bikes to drug dealing, street drinking, and other issues, every single day.”

The initiative is underpinned by GMP’s wider neighbourhood policing investment, which includes the appointment of named local officers for every district, the launch of its community messaging platform Bee In The Loop, and the recruitment of 176 additional neighbourhood officers.

The minister praised GMP’s visibility and proactive approach, calling it “exemplary” and said it was important to give the public confidence in policing. She also reiterated the government’s commitment to placing 3,000 extra neighbourhood officers and PCSOs across England by April 2026 as part of its Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something happening in our Borough?

Let us know by emailing newsdesk@rochvalleyradio.com

All contact will be treated in confidence.

More from Local News

Convicted Bury child sex predator vanishes mid-trial as police launch urgent international manhunt

Police are urgently appealing for information after a convicted child sex offender from Bury fled the country mid-trial.
Mill Gate’s safari trail brings the wild to Bury this August

Families visiting Mill Gate Shopping Centre this month can embark on a free safari-themed adventure, spotting life-sized animals and meeting lifelike animatronic creatures.
MP urges calm after Heywood protest as government ramps up immigration action

Heywood and Middleton North MP Elsie Blundell has appealed for calm following protests and an arrest last week, saying that complex issues around asylum, immigration and crime cannot be solved with “lies, smears and untruths”.
MegaRetailer opens in Rochdale with big-brand bargains for shoppers

Rochdale has welcomed a new addition to its retail scene as MegaRetailer opened its doors this weekend, promising household brands at discount prices for both residents and local businesses.
Surface dressing works to close key Rochdale roads this week

A series of short-term road closures will take place in Rochdale borough this week as part of the council’s latest surface dressing programme.
Caribbean Carnival delights thousands in weekend celebration

Manchester’s annual Caribbean Carnival brought colour, music and dancing to the city as thousands joined the weekend celebrations.
New campaign to help Rochdale residents cope with rising heat and extreme weather

A major climate resilience drive has been launched in Rochdale to help households prepare for heatwaves, floods and other extreme weather events, as Greater Manchester is ranked among the most climate-vulnerable areas in the UK.
Sunshine, live music and community spirit as Rotary Middleton’s Proms in the Park delights crowds

Jubilee Park was the place to be today, Sunday, 10 August, as Rotary Middleton brought back its much-loved Proms in the Park in glorious sunshine.
IN PHOTOS: 'Stop the boats' as Hundreds join Heywood protest against illegal immigration

A protest march through Heywood on Saturday 9 August 2025 drew hundreds of participants calling for tougher action on illegal immigration and the regulation of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in the borough.
Council urged to ‘keep the magic’ as Bury market modernised

As the shopping area with the third highest footfall in Greater Manchester many people would say Bury market doesn’t need a lot of changes.
Serial predator posed as trusted tutor to sexually abuse girls as young as eight

A private tutor who abused five girls over a decade while giving maths and Quran lessons has been jailed for 14 years following a Manchester Crown Court trial
Man admits bringing knives and weapons onto school grounds in Middleton arrest

A man arrested outside a school in Middleton last week has now pleaded guilty to a string of offences, including possessing offensive weapons and criminal damage.