A policing unit which will attend fatal crashes in Bury and deal with complaints about anti-social behaviour and e-bikes has opened.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has opened its third roads policing unit (RPU), which is based at Whitefield Police Station on Bury New Road.
The unit will have an inspector, five sergeants and 35 constables from Bolton, Bury and Rochdale.
GMP says the site will provide better coverage in the North, especially in Bury, Bolton, and Rochdale, and “breathe new life into the police station”.
GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson said: “We're really pleased to announce that, whereas Whitefield for many years has been somewhat dormant, we are breathing new life into this police station.
“We are, as part and parcel of the doubling of our road policing assets.
“What the local public will of course see is our officers coming and going 24/7.
“You'll see a lot more in the way of police presence in the vicinity and you will see this police station once again being used as a practical operational base.”
The number of officers has nearly doubled after investment in the force's RPU provision.
The RPU currently has two sites at Eccles Police Station in the west and Ashton Police Station in the east.
CC Watson added: “What is really important is that a resurgent GMP being ever active in targeting criminality on behalf of the public that we serve is really, really obvious in what we're announcing.
“I know that this will be popular with the people who live near to this police station but really importantly it's popular with our officers too because they are better enabled as a result to get stuck into the fight into criminality.”
Chief Superintendent and District Commander for Bury Chris Hill said: “I am delighted to be able to welcome the latest Roads Policing Unit which will be stationed in Whitefield.
“The Roads Policing Unit will reinforce efforts to reduce the number of serious and fatal collision – as well as targeting offenders who use our roads to commit crime.
“We have listened to the concerns of residents and what they would like to see from GMP, not just here in Bury, but in Bolton and Rochdale as well.
"Having this RPU base that will cover all three of those districts as well as the City of Manchester will be a game changer for the public and the Force as a whole.
“There has been a significant amount of investment in RPU which has seen the number of officers almost double, with more than 40 officers being relocated to Bury.”
Council leader, Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, said: “We're glad to see this police station being used for a roads policing purpose, as this is a big issue that residents complain to us about.
“It's a welcome investment to see more effort going into tackling traffic offences, vehicle crime, and anything that makes our roads safer is something that we will always welcome.”
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