THIS year’s summer safety campaign has now launched – helping to tackle anti-social behaviour and ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable time.
Each year, Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), local councils and other key partners come together to encourage young people to keep themselves safe throughout the summer months.
This includes promoting crime prevention and personal safety advice and encourages young people to get involved in a variety of fun activities to help prevent involvement in anti-social behaviour activity.
The campaign focuses on types of anti-social behaviour that we typically see more of during the summer than in the winter months, promoting conversations with our communities about how they can help tackle and prevent anti-social behaviour.
While young people are off school – or in the evenings or at weekends - there may be temptation for them to get involved in things that seem like harmless fun but can often lead to serious consequences.
This summer, we're asking the public to help make communities a safer and more enjoyable place.
Chief Superintendent Umer, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "The summer holidays are a chance for young people to have a break and unwind, especially after the challenging year that we've faced; however, it’s important to remember that there are many other people who will be enjoying activities and events, so we are urging everyone to respect others and be socially responsible this summer.
"The vast majority of young people are law-abiding and socially responsible, but I would like to remind the young people of Greater Manchester to be aware of the risks and consequences of seemingly fun situations, as they can quickly escalate and put yourself and others in danger, or in some cases, lead to fines or prosecution.
"We are also encouraging parents and guardians to remain aware of their children’s whereabouts and their planned activities, by maintaining a positive line of communication.
"Communities should be safe and reassuring places for everyone, so I want to assure the public that GMP and our partners are dedicated to tackling this kind of behaviour, as we understand it can have a lasting impact on neighbourhoods and the wider community."
Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Bev Hughes, said: “We understand that the past year or so has been challenging for our young people, who may now be spending more time doing things they did prior to the pandemic. As we enjoy the summer months it may seem appealing to some people to get involved with things that can be perceived as harmless, but as we know all too well things can go wrong and have consequences that last a life-time, such as getting involved in crime, or taking a dip in the local reservoir or river with friends on a hot day.
“We want young people to enjoy themselves this summer, especially after being so restricted last year, and we are working with partners across Greater Manchester to keep them safe from harm. We also continue to urge parents and carers to help keep their children safe by talking with them and knowing where they are when they’re not at home. Together, we can all stay safe this summer.”
GMFRS' Head of Prevention, Area Manager Paul Duggan, said: “This summer will see some sense of normality return following the COVID-19 pandemic, with many young people already starting to spend more time outdoors or with groups of friends. In a bid to help keep people safe we will be focusing on water safety as well as preventing different kinds of anti-social incidents, such as deliberate fires started by young people and also wildfires.
“As always we advise people never to jump into or swim in open water – if there is no lifeguard then it is not safe to swim. Too many people have lost their lives after getting into difficulties in water and even the strongest of swimmers can suffer from Cold Water Shock, be dragged along by under-water currents, or even find themselves caught up in objects lurking beneath the water’s surface.
“We are continuing to work with schools across the city-region and ask people to head to safe4summer.com for all the latest safety advice and to find out what’s going on in their local area.”
Local authorities are each hosting various activities throughout the summer months, which you can access via the council websites, or via the activities section on the Safe4Summer website.
The wider community are asked to be proactive in reporting any instances of anti-social behaviour to police via the GMP website or by contacting us through LiveChat. You can also call 101 or report incidents anonymously via CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
Follow #SummerSafe on social media throughout the summer to keep up to date with activities and get involved with our campaign.