Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) response times are among the “fastest” in the country, it has been revealed.
Response officers are form a crucial part of the region’s police service, with more 1,600 of them currently working hard, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to serve different areas across Greater Manchester.
These officers respond to everything from burglaries and robberies, to fights, road traffic collisions, and more throughout the region.
They will often be the first to attend any form of incident, and once arriving on these scene, will be quick to assess the immediate threat and harm, initiate an investigation, and provide a reassuring visible police presence for the public.
GMP’s response times have been revealed as among the ‘fastest’ in the country / Credit: GMP
GMP‘s ‘Force Control Room’ receives almost 600,000 999 calls a year, which is around 1,600 a day.
And now, it has been revealed this week that the force’s response times to those 999 calls, as well as officers’ arrival on the scenes, are among the fastest of any police service in the whole country.
Within the past year alone, GMP was found to have responded to 135,726 Grade 1 incidents – which are calls that need an immediate response – or 370 a day, across the borough, in around 9 minutes 34 seconds on average, which is well inside the expected national average of 15 minutes.
Those almost 600,000 emergency calls were also found to have been answered, on average, in around four seconds.
#ResponsePolicingWeek | 🚔 Our response officers are the first on the scene and need to be ready for anything.
Today, we would like to shine a light on how their quick actions help save lives.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 25, 2024
GMP’s Assistant Chief Constable, Matt Boyle, called Response Policing the “bedrock” of every police force across the country.
Speaking on GMP’s recent achievements in response times, and praising officers for all their hard work and dedication, ACC Boyle said: “Our response officers and staff play a vital role in keeping the public of Greater Manchester safe every day of the year around the clock.
“Almost every police officer starts on response, and there is no doubt it’s one of the toughest but also most rewarding roles in policing.
The region’s police service receives almost 600,000 emergency 999 calls a year / Credit: GMP
“When the public call us, often in one of the worst moments of their lives, they rightly expect us to pick up the phone, arrive quickly, act professionally and protect them, and we have made significant improvements in doing this over the last few years, particularly in areas such as burglary, where we now attend every burglary report that comes into us, and domestic abuse, where we are arresting more people than ever.”
ACC Boyle also assured the public that GMP is investing time, money, and recourses into making sure Response Officers receive the most up-to-date training.
“They will usually be the first officers on the scene of an ongoing incident and will often be the first person the public sees, ACC Boyle continued, “So it’s vital they are trained to the highest standards and have the latest kit and equipment.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
New National Highways campaign launched to prevent ‘intrusive’ act that 43% of drivers admit to doing
A new campaign has been launched by National Highways to raise awareness of an ‘intrusive’ driving act that 43% of Brits admit to doing.
Whether intentional or not, tailgating – a term used for driving too closely behind another vehicle – is known to create tension and anxiety for drivers across the UK, and remains a serious safety issue for other road users, which is why National Highways has launched a campaign to tackle the issue.
Recent Government statistics have shown that tailgating leads to an average of 147 deaths or serious injuries every year on motorways and major A-roads, with 60% of drivers saying that being tailgated makes them feel uncomfortable.
But despite this, 43% of drivers admit to tailgating ‘at least sometimes’.
The National Highways’ new campaign, titled Make the Change: Two Seconds is all it Takes, is working to highlight how one person’s driving behaviour, even if unintentional, can cause real stress for others.
The agency said the simple message in the campaign’s name highlights that all drivers need to do is maintain this ‘suitable’ following distance.
“Small changes in driving behaviour can have a big impact on overall road safety and everyone’s wellbeing on the road,” the campaign reads.
A new National Highways campaign has been launched to prevent ‘intrusive’ tailgating on UK roads / Credit: pxfuel
“Keeping a safe following distance of at least two seconds is a simple yet vital habit. It significantly improves road safety while promoting a calmer, more respectful driving atmosphere for everyone.
“Following another vehicle too closely can make the driver ahead feel stressed and pressured. It’s much like someone standing too near to you in a queue – uncomfortable and intrusive.
“Respecting space matters just as much on the road as it does in everyday life.”
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As a way of maintaining the two-second gap, the National Highways encourages drivers to ‘pick a fixed point up ahead’, such as a road sign or lamppost, and as the car in front passes it, start counting: ‘one thousand one, one thousand two’.
If you reach that point before finishing the count, you’re too close and need to ease off the accelerator to allow more space.
Featured Image – Edward Lawrence (via Unsplash)
News
You can win tickets to sold-out Lewis Capaldi gigs at Greggs
Nationwide bakery chain Greggs has partnered with singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi for a chance to win tickets for his sold-out UK tour.
Now, if there’s one thing we love more than sausage rolls, it’s watching Glasgow solo star Lewis Capaldi perform his smash hit singles to crowds of roaring fans –and Glastonbury proved that.
The ‘Hold Me While You Wait’ singer recently announced his latest UK tour, and to no one’s surprise, it sold out within minutes, with extra dates added in each city.
Leave it to Greggs, one of the UK’s favourite savoury pick-me-up companies, and its new campaign with Capaldi, which offers lucky fans the chance to win tickets to one of these sold-out UK tour dates – How ‘Grace'(ful).
This new campaign, titled ‘Someone you look like?’ – inspired by the chart-topping anthem ‘Someone You Loved’ – encourages fans of the Scottish Beyoncé to dress up in an outrageous outfit inspired by one of Lewis’ many stylish looks.
Greggs and Lewis Capaldi are offering fans the chance to win tickets to his sellout tour across five of the bakery chain’s sites, including London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow and right here in Manchester.
The bond between Greggs and Capaldi isn’t new either, as the ‘Bruises’ penman worked a shift for the savoury suppliers back in 2019, having a blue plaque erected at this very Middlesbrough site professing his love for a tuna crunch butty.
This isn’t the only competition that UK bakery chain Greggs is currently running; it’s also teamed up with package holiday brand Jet2 to give away a holiday at the same price as their iconic sausage rolls.
Whilst you’re at it…
Greggs and Lewis Capaldi have 25 pairs of tickets to win per restaurant location and the nearest bakery spot running this promotion is theSalford site located at Media City, M50 2HF on Tuesday, 22 July 2025. All information can be found HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
26th June 2024 
