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Mark:
The Government has given the Police powers to seize vehicle which
are used in an anti-social manner - Are these powers sufficiant?
and if so - when are GMP going to start using these powers to take
uninsured vehicles - and vehicles used to commit crimes off the
streets?
Chief Constable Michael Todd: I am happy with the powers
and have been asking for them. We have started to use them already
to deal with anti social behaviour such as noisy use of off road
motorcycles which cause a lot of problems to communities around
Greater Manchester. We will carry on using them.
Bev: My son has been mugged 3 times after evenings out in the
city centre he is 21 the incidents still trouble him why is more
emphasis put on property eg stolen cars,shops burglar alarms than
peoples safety?enough police were made available for Tony blairs
visit,the derby and st patricks day I want my son to feel safe when
he goes out and not have to look over his shoulder I like many others
would happily pay more tax.
Chief Constable Michael Todd: So do I! We do need more police
officers & I am constantly arguing to get more officers and
also to ensure that we get the very best from those that we have.
Robbery has been one of our real priority crime and I am pleased
that we have reduced it by 15% since last year. That is 1,400 less
victims of robberies! I want to drive robbery & violent crime
down and that is clear to all of our men and women out there.
Darren:
Do you think asbos are the answers to all the problems of social
life, or do you think the police should take a tougher hand?
Chief Constable Michael Todd:I do want us to be tough on
crime & we are. I am determined that we take the fight against
crime to the criminal and hold people to account for their crimes.
We also want to deter as much crime as possible and ASBOs are a
real help. We have been using them together with our Local Authority
partners in a very proactive way to stop people for example wearing
body armour on the streets when we think they are involved in crime.
So they are part of the answer & really helpful.
David:
As a potential police officer with GMP, what do you feel the main
policing problems will be facing new recruits in the future?
Chief Constable Michael Todd:Actually much the same as now.
We face real problems of violent crime, firearms and an awful lot
of public expectation which I fully understand. We want to meet
those expectations and provide a GMP that our communities can be
proud of and
that makes them feel safe & secure. Hope you do join us in the
fight against crime, we need you!
Neil: I would very much like to know what accountability
the police actually have to the public it serves, the racial issues
and the recent scenes of disgusting abuse seen by OUR officers appear
that the force has not got a grip on its image, officers and Mr
Todds pledge to serve the community of G Manchester.
Chief Constable Michael Todd: We are accountable in all sorts
of ways. I am accountable to the 91热爆 Secretary, 91热爆 Office, Police
Authority, the Police Complaints Authority, Audit Commission, Local
politicians, H. M. Inspectorate of Constabulary and a whole host
of others! I am committed to providing the best possible policing,
and so are our officers. When we do make mistakes we acknowledge
them and we do deal with problems that people bring to our attention.
You do have to remember, that the vast majority of our men &
women are working very hard, doing a very difficult job & perform
brilliantly, we have few complaints in comparison with the numbers
of crimes and incidents they deal with every day.
Dave:
It's nice that we can travel around Europe these days, at least
we all get to see what real policing is. Every European country
has armed police, zero tolerance (not zero punishment) and it's
not below them to arrest people who throw litter and people behaving
antisocially. When police are on holiday in Spain, France or Switzerland
why don't they look around them, learn and bring back what they
see? No that's too simple. Give me a armed European police force
any day.
Chief
Constable Michael Todd: We many of the public in those countries
would disagree, they send a lot of their officers over here to learn
from us! I don't want to see a fully armed GMP or zero tolerance
with a bunch of robots out there. I am proud of our men & women,
they think and use discretion. We have seen the controversy over
the use of speed cameras with no discretion. I want firm but fair
policing, where we go out and deal with the people who commit crime
and anti social behaviour effectively, but not zero tolerance.
Sandra: How do you feel about 24 hour licensing? Do you think
that will stop the chucking out time violence?
Chief Constable Michael Todd: I do believe in much more flexible
licensing, I have always felt that our strange attitude to drink
in comparison with much or the rest of Europe has been because of
the hours issue and the binge drinking to beat closing time. I think
that the changes will be welcome and stop the rush of calls that
we have at closing time.
David:
The recruitment process has been dramatically delayed due to the
budget cuts for GMP, what are your feelings on this? and do you
have any advice for individuals who are currently stuck in this
frustrating process at the current time?
Chief
Constable Michael Todd: It is very frustrating for me. GMP has
been under resourced for years and last year we started to make
up some of that ground. Sadly this year we have not been allowed
to move further forward, which I had hoped that we would. This does
mean that some who wish to join us will have a longer wait than
I would have wanted. I wish you could join us right now!
John:
What, if any, plans do you have to use the many willing 91热爆watch
members within Greater Manchester to assist in your quest to improve
detection rates? For many years 91热爆watch members have been under-valued
and under-utilised in the fight against crime. Or is GMP simply
paying lip-service to the 91热爆watch movement?
Chief Constable Michael Todd: We are not paying lip service
to it, 91热爆watch can be very useful in preventing crime and passing
information to us. We are in the process of ensuring some more consistency
and central direction for 91热爆watch, to make best use of it.
Dave:
Despite continual promises of the police being visible on the streets,their
seems to be no presence on the streets aside from a passing patrol
car. What is being done by GMP to heighten the police presence in
our city and surrounding towns?
Chief Constable Michael Todd: Well I am out in my reflective
jacket as often as I can! <the Chief Constable laughs> But
seriously, we have increased by 160 Police & Community Support
Officer, who are all out there on foot or cycle patrol and by around
600 extra cops. We are trying to return as many officers as possible
to the streets to provide the reassurance that our communities want.
I was out on cycle patrol myself in Oldham the other week and saw
the public reaction. We do
need more officers out there and that is what we are seeking. Tomorrow
I will be meeting Council Leaders to continue the debate for more
officers for GMP!
Mark:
GMP says it is successfully using ASBO's to combat ant-social behaviour
- but a vast numbers of calls from the public complaining about
youths causing annoyance are either not responded to at all - because
after half an hour or so there have been no further calls from the
same complainer, or are referred for Community Beat Officers to
follow up another day. How are the police going to find out who
these youths are when no one attend
when no one attends at the time they are causing the disturbance?
Chief Constable Michael Todd: I am afraid that this really
is a resource problem (and I don't complain lightly) we have been
the most under resourced Force in the country and also a Force with
some of the most difficult demands on it in terms of gang &
gun crime, robberies etc. We have had to prioritise to deal with
serious crime & have not been able to meet all of the community
demands, which I do want to & I do think are reasonable. My
end vision is to have a GMP of around 11,000 police officers, with
dedicated teams of police officers and Community officers in every
ward across Greater Manchester, who will not be taken away for other
things such as football policing or serious crime investigations.
I want a return to the real bobby on the beat who knows the community,
deals with their problems and ensures they feel safe. The problem
is, we have to pay for it. And that is another problem.... but one
I will continue to fight for!
End
of webchat.
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