A Home Office team was in Manchester on July 8 to learn from the city’s crackdown on violent crime.
The Tackling Violent Crime Programme (TVCP), launched recently to tackle an increasing trend in violent crime in England and Wales, was looking at initiatives Manchester has developed in relation to alcohol related crime and domestic violence.
The team spent a day alongside the Manchester Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, learning about domestic violence and drug and alcohol programmes across the City between 10am and 3.30am the next, Saturday morning.
During the visit, the TVCP saw how the partnership works together to share best practice and gain first hand knowledge of the problems faced by frontline agencies. Bill Hughes from the Crime and Disorder Team based at Manchester City Council and Supt Gerry Donnellan from Greater Manchester Police took the lead for this visit.
The day’s events for the TVCP site visit included presentations from the Partnership regarding crime and disorder, alcohol-related crime, A&E admissions and domestic violence initiatives. The team then visited the City Centre Safe Friday night briefing, CCTV operations and MRI Accident and Emergency. They saw how the taxi warden scheme works late in to the night to prevent late night violent flare-ups amongst revellers.
As a part of the TVCP programme, a minimum of £100,000 is available to Manchester CDRP as initial funding from the Home Office to further their work on violent crime. There will also be additional stream funding for specific cross programme activities, such as the Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign (AMEC) national test purchases.
What they say
Lead member for Crime and Disorder Cllr Jim Battle says: ”The Manchester Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership has taken a number of important steps to reduce violent crime. The interest shown in our projects by this Home Office initiative is great testimony to the pioneering work we have been doing and we are grateful for their support in developing this vital work further.”
