GMP: Officers close thousands of cases after special measures spell

Back in December 2020, GMP was shamefully placed in special measures after failing to record 80,000 crimes in the year to June 2020, with their service to victims of crime said to be a "serious cause of concern".

However, after a huge overhaul in senior leadership and strategy, the force was taken out of special measures in October 2022.

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Emily Higham's appointment came after a huge overhaul in senior leadership at GMP (Image: GMP)

With a district commander placed in each of the region's districts, Emily Higham took the Chief Superintendent job in Wigan and Leigh and re-emphasised the importance of neighbourhood policing and developing relationships with communities.

With huge caseloads of crimes to investigate, Chief Spt Higham said that officers in Wigan and Leigh closed thousands of cases during their spell in special measures.

In the year to October 2022, the force went from 8,000 open cases to around 4,000, she said.

Officers state they reduced their caseloads by around 4,000 cases in the year to October 2022 (Image: Leigh Journal)

Often using intelligence from people in the community, this shows the force has been arresting more people and tackling instances of high crime, Chief Spt Higham said.

By employing dozens more officers and call handlers, the police force has also been able to get to answer more calls and travel to more cases.

Chief Spt Higham said: "After going into special measures, we knew we had to make massive improvements.

"With a focus on neighbourhood policing and getting more officers on the beat, we made a plan, stuck to it, and delivered it; and we are the fastest force to come out of special measures.

"There is much more communication now, and with more arrests being made, that means we have more time to focus on high crimes and more time to focus on victim resolution."

Anti-social behaviour and crimes in the night time economy are issues police are focusing on (Image: Leigh Journal)

Although the force is now out of special measures, the chief superintendent agreed that improvements have to continue to improve victims' experiences and build back the trust of communities.

One way the force is trying to develop these relationships is through the launch of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, designed to encourage more local intelligence being given to officers.

As we get into the winter months, this intelligence will be vital, police say, in cutting down anti-social behaviour and crimes in the night time economy.