UNDERCOVER POLICE PROTECT SCHOOLGIRLS FROM ABUSE
UNDERCOVER police have been patrolling near schools to help protect girls from harassment and abuse.
Cheshire’s Chief Constable, Mark Roberts, revealed that plain clothes officers would also be going into nightspots where they could be targeting ‘predatory people’.
He spoke about the issue at the launch of a new police and crime plan this week, which is being led by the county’s police and crime commissioner, John Dwyer.
The Chief Constable was answering questions at the event on the issue of domestic abuse, but said there were ‘broader issues’ around violence against women and girls to be tackled.
Mr Roberts said: “We’ve been having covert, plain clothes patrols around schools where schoolgirls, on occasions, have suffered abuse and some of the cat-calling and unpleasant stuff that can go on.
“We’ve been doing that around schools within the county to try to ensure that we’re keeping people safe.”
The police force will also be carrying out ‘significant operational activity’ in the coming weeks as the festive season begins.
Mr Roberts added: “There’s a whole range of activity that we’re planning in the run-up to Christmas to keep the night time economy safe.
“We’re looking at covert and overt means to try and make sure that people out for a good time can’t be targeted, because sadly there are predatory people out there who wish to take advantage of people.
“That’s very high on the national agenda, but even in advance of that, we’re really proactive in trying to get ahead of the game and make sure we’re keeping people safe.”
He also reiterated the force’s commitment to tacking domestic abuse, but said they could ‘not just arrest their way out’ of the problem, with a co-operative approach needed with other organisations.
“We currently work hard on it, but we can do better. That will require effort from partners as well,” he said.
“Certainly, on things like domestic violence protection orders, I’m putting a real focus and drive on that, because that’s a key means to keeping people safe and we recognise that prosecution isn’t always the only outcome, but we need partners to work with us on that.”