Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour
Do you know your rights beyond 999?
Your Rights
www.direct.gov.uk/localcrime is a website which gives you information about the police and criminal justice services in your area as well as what you can expect from them.
Remember, in an emergency, you should always call 999.
An emergency is:-
when a crime is happening
when somebody suspected of a crime is nearby, or
when someone in injured, being threatened, or in danger.
If you want to report anti-social behaviour or a crime that is not an emergency, you should call your local police force or council anti-social behaviour team - see below for details.
Alternatively, if you want to remain anonymous, you can pass on information about crimes to the independent charity Crimestoppers (or Crimestoppers Cymru), either on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org. Information is taken 24 hours, seven days a week, including Christmas Day.
If you want to know the facts and figures about crime in your area, visit www.direct.gov.uk/localcrime and type in your postcode to view a 'crime map' of your are.
Your Role
The police need your help so please report crime if you see it. There are other ways to help the police, the local authority and other criminal justice agencies - for example by joining Neighbourhood Watch, a tennants' or residents' association, by becoming a special constable or a voulenteer for Victim Support. Visit www.direct.gov.uk/localcrime to find out more.
What Can You Expect From The Police Locally?
Your local police force has signed up to a set of national standards called the Policing Pledge. They commit to:-
- Treat you with dignity and respect and provide fair access to their services
- Tell you what they are and how to contact them
- Spend 80% of Neighbourhood Police Team time working visibly in your neighbourhood
- Respond to your messages about non-emergency problems within 24 hours
- Answer emergency calls within 10 seconds and attend as quickly as possible within 15/20 minutes (urban/rural)
- Answer non-emergency calls promptly and attend within 60 minutes if you are vulnerable or if it is a local priority, or if attendence is not requiried, make an appointment to see you within 48 hours
- Give you the opportunity every month to influence policing in your neighbourhood and agree your local priorities
- Provide you with crime maps for your area, update you on your priorities montly and provide information about local crime and what they are doing about it
- If you are a victim of crime, agree with you how, how often and how long you wish to be kept up to date - it will be at least monthly
- If you tell them that you are not happy with their sevice, respond to you within 24 hours and also talk to you in person
Your local police are best placed to resolve problems but you can also make a complaint to your police authority (who are responsible for holding the police to account) or the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Information provided on behalf of Greater Manchester Police.