Top cop vows to put public first

Neal Keeling

February 20, 2009

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Chief Constable Peter Fahy

CHIEF Constable Peter Fahy has vowed to put the public before government targets in the future policing of Greater Manchester.

He believes a change is needed if GMP is going to win the confidence of communities.

The force's 8,000 officers will be urged to respond to what the public want and not be driven by government targets. Mr Fahy said: "It will not be easy. We have a generation of young police officers who have only learned to police by achieving targets.

"It has meant we have gained credit for convictions - whatever they are - either a fixed penalty ticket for urinating in the street, or a successful £10m murder inquiry.

"All that mattered was being 'in the green' in terms of your conviction rate rather than amber or red.

"Meeting government targets has meant you have a paradox of crime rates falling and conviction rates rising but people not feeling any safer."

The government is now switching its emphasis from making police forces meet targets to achieving public confidence in policing. Mr Fahy conceded that in some parts of Manchester surveys had revealed confidence in police was as low as 40 per cent.

Unsafe

He said: "We must listen to people when they say they feel their area is unsafe."

He said police would carry out in depth surveys to gauge public opinion and get feedback. Commenting on the case reported in the M.E.N. this week, he said: "It is very disappointing for all of us especially when I know GMP staff want to provide a good service.

"We have to investigate crime quicker and provide more information to people as to what is happening.

"It isn't good enough just to detect it. We must still be aware of our performance regarding serious offences such as murder, violence, burglary, and rape - but if the public says something is important it will be for us.

"Often the villains who are causing the most damage are not the people that are in court. We should investigate certain offenders not just offences.

"People often have a good idea what is going on in their area - they know who the crime families are that are running the show.

"They enjoy a very good standard of living without going to work and draw other people into their web.

"Public confidence in the police will be won when the public see how that kind of family can be dealt with."

He said that GMP was investing in neighbourhood policing teams and was also striving to cut bureaucracy to reduce delays in getting people before court.

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stephenc, prestwich (20/02/2009 at 06:57)

How can he say this...just read the papers about just how inept GMP are. GMP have little or no confidence from the general public. Areas like Bury and Wigan have the worst incivility complaints in any police force within the uk.

Mark,Radcliffe. (20/02/2009 at 08:44)

This pursuit of the wrong sort of 'Targets' should have been called off a long time ago.In fact it should never have been allowed to get to that stage,whereby Officers could no longer use common sense,and discretion were necessary.Tools which are helpful in promoting Public confidence and respect,as opposed to a book of tickets which can be dished out willy-nilly.

Jay B, oldham (20/02/2009 at 09:04)

when i feel safe and that the police would be there if ever i need them will be when they have reached their targets!
currently i have no respect for them! im a law abiding citizen but i wouldnt even give a police officer the time of day! they didnt help me when i needed them!

Anthony , Accrington,Lancashire (20/02/2009 at 09:15)

Action is better than words!

Shamas (20/02/2009 at 09:56)

Police has always been under pressure to maintain law and order and at the same time uphold the law passed in Westminster. Peter Fahy has a difficult job,playing PR games will not help him, he needs less paper pushers and more on the "beat".

umpire 2, Salford M7 4HT (20/02/2009 at 10:02)

hang on, we only here about the bad occasions, in the MEN, do you have or have you seen a great story where GMP have helped.
Last Month, I had to phone them for help with a man who was wondering around Broughton Park with a knife.

Within one hour, they had found the man, arrested him, within a few more hours had him charged with offences, then bailed him to appear in court, but he didn't turn up, so now he has a warrant out for his arrest.

The police done their job, it is now down to the courts and the government to look at a way we can get courts to work a more better way and stop all this time wasted by lawyers giving no comments interview when they have been arrested found with the necessary items and have been charged.

It is time this happens then the lawyers should be fined for wasting the courts time and the public's, never mind the work the police put into the job in the first place.

GMP can only get confidence if something is done on their behalf but then we have to rely on the press to report the matter in their papers.

Gerry Diamond. Hulme , (20/02/2009 at 10:11)

Marvellous how he has the time to Write to the M.E.N Postbag Yesterday, Mr Todd proffered to walk the Streets to see for himself.

Angry Mike, Middleton (20/02/2009 at 10:23)

I'll believe it when i see it

Ace Shakespeare , manchester (20/02/2009 at 10:33)

Oh how easy these words flow off off his tongue? how many times have i heard words like this?And in a week where in the same newspaper i read a man offered to arrest a criminal himself and deliver the criminal himself with evidence? and the police couldnt be bothered! WE WILL SEE.

Bejjy ex Salford now Malta, Malta (20/02/2009 at 10:52)

Mr Fahy conceded that in some parts of Manchester surveys had revealed confidence in police was as low as 40 per cent.

I would have thought that in some, if not all, parts of Manchester that a figure of 40% having no confidence in the police is on the high and not the low side. We will wait and see if Mr Fahy can deliver what he is proposing. Lets hope so.

Angry Mike, Middleton (20/02/2009 at 11:04)

The facts are simple here, the government set targets for Police forces to meet. Mr Fahy's job is to ensure that the targets are met, he can say all he wants that his officers won't be target driven but he can't change it, if his officers don't meet the targets then the force doesn't meet the required standards and he won't be the chief constable for long.

Bean B4, manchester (20/02/2009 at 11:15)

Suspension of all human rights laws, simplification of prosecution procedures and harsher sentencing is the way forward.

A return to the old days where the Police dealt out summary punishment worked a treat.

Todays problems all stem from human rights and the paperwork required to proves those rights ahve been observed. Give the police a free hand.

The Seeker, Eccles (20/02/2009 at 12:20)

When they get the criminals up in court they just sit there laughing, and invoke Labour's Human Rights Act.
What can the Police do about that?

Marquis de Sade, isle of man (20/02/2009 at 12:34)

Some areas of Manchester are quite well policed.For example Altrincham, Hale, Bowden, Cheadle Hulme. When I lived in Altrincham the police would race to your house if you had a problem. When I lived in Salford they certainly would not arrive at all. That's life I suppose; Pay more council tax and get more protection.

Esso Blue & Blue Firework The Arabian Blue Knight, , Never trust the human equivalent of a meerkat (20/02/2009 at 12:51)

would it be fair to say that rather than point the finger at the Government, that the police have too many internal issues that they need to sort out first, I dont think you can throw it all on the Governments toes.

Sir Elliott Pest , Newton Nr. Hyde. (20/02/2009 at 12:56)

Yeah Yeah Yeah, haven't we heard it all before ...yet another load of Bull & Spin.
I can't beleive for one minute what he's saying will become reality.

Angie33 , Manchester (20/02/2009 at 13:27)

While only poor people suffered from anti social behaviour nothing changed.
The more crime and disorder moves into better off areas the better it is for us.Then something might change.Millions may appear for youth clubs and dance halls for teens.
Sure Start are doing a good job at the younger end of things.Its the older kids who have no hope of anything,and good kids get drawn in to crime.

Ace Shakespeare , manchester (20/02/2009 at 13:40)

CHIEF Constable Peter Fahy is tied to what hes told? He cannot just do what he wants his bosses in whitehall tell him how far he can jump and what he can say.Hes tied to the human rights act the same as everybody else and whatever he does will not be enough because of the human rights act.(The law that protects the criminals) If he wants to make a difference he should be telling his bosses that we need to scrap the human rights act,So that criminals can be dealt with. Stop giving criminals laws to protect themselves,you only have to read in the news this week how difficult it is to deport criminals like the terrorist who is wanted in his country but will fight deportation costing the taxpayers millions? this is what our police force has to contend with.

Victoria Fethney (20/02/2009 at 14:08)

It's about time!!

I spent nearly 3 hours on Wednesday night stood on a neighbours doorstep, like a security guard as the house was insecure, waiting for police to turn up!!

The fact that 4 men in balaclavas with weapons such as an axe and a baseball bat had smashed the door down didn't seem require an urgent response......?! This was most certainly not putting the public first!!

Luckily no-one was home at the time - whatever/whoever these people were looking for........

Black Flag (20/02/2009 at 14:17)

Bean B4: "Todays problems all stem from human rights and the paperwork required to proves those rights ahve been observed."

We've been a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights since the 1950s, so why are the nanny statists only kicking up a fuss now?

Diggler (20/02/2009 at 14:34)

Jay B, What do you suggest then ? (or are you just ranting for ranting sake ?), should we be without the police ? Personally, i would rather have them than not. So they can't always respond to Mr and Mrs "Shameless" to rescue their cat stuck up a tree (or something equaly as trivial) within 5 seconds, however, there are many who work long and hard to bring down serious and organised criminals. Unfortunately, the MEN only get to hear the half of what goes on. The reason for "poor service" is quite simply not enough on the front line, and those who are, more often than not are dealing with tat. Lets rant about that, not just "the police".

Esso Blue & Blue Firework The Arabian Blue Knight, , Never trust the human equivalent of a meerkat (20/02/2009 at 14:40)

Diggler, The Manchester Evening probably know a lot more than what you think

Esso Blue & Blue Firework The Arabian Blue Knight, , Never trust the human equivalent of a meerkat (20/02/2009 at 14:43)

Manchester Evening News you are naughty but nice.

chris (20/02/2009 at 14:55)

have those that are moaning though about actually doing something to improve the situation? write to your MP if your not happy (its easy enough to do), join the specials and help police your local area if you feel that strongly about it, you get to see exactly what goes (although I doubt some of you would leave your skytv long enough).

Law and order is the responsibility of everyone, the police do the enforcement but we also have a part to play.

Angry Mike, Middleton (20/02/2009 at 15:01)

Why all the talk about the human rights act, Government set Policing targets are not really anything to do with the human Rights act, it's more to do with fudging figures at election time to make it look like one party has done more to combat crime than the previous government. It's all rubbish crime is up punishment is down, build more prisons, evict anybody who is in council accomodation and commits crime, stop benefits of anybody committing crime, longer and harder community punishments and stop pussy footing around these people calling them anything other than criminals and convicts. commit the crime then do the time.

Brown and his cabinet, out!!

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