NCP, Bolton Council, and Greater Manchester Police have agreed a co-operation agreement aimed at reducing crime and anti-social behaviour.
The new scheme, called Partnership Plus, means Greater Manchester Police will provide increased support to parking attendants, to help reduce the level of assaults and intimidation they suffer while at work.
Police officers will patrol the streets with parking attendants (PAs) in areas where there is thought to be a greater risk of attacks to PAs. They will also ensure that all assaults or abuse of parking attendants are investigated and where appropriate the offenders prosecuted.
And attendants will also assist police with their operations when there is a need to enforce against illegally parked vehicles. They will also benefit from more training by police to make them more skilled at reporting street crime swiftly and effectively. PAs will be encouraged by NCP, the car park operator says, to report street crime and disorder incidents seen while carrying out their duties in Bolton, and the information will be passed to Greater Manchester Police.
The PAs will also benefit from the use of DNA testing kits (‘spit kits’) which have been successfully used on other NCP contracts to prosecute members of the public who spit at attendants whilst on duty.
What they say
Alistair Cooper, Business Controller of NCP said: “We already have terrific support from Greater Manchester Police across the whole force area – but this agreement specifies several useful ways we can help each other. It will help us to further reduce the level of assaults and abuse our parking wardens receive while carrying out their duties – and we hope that we will be able to give something back to the police by providing more formal support in terms of observing and recording street crime and disorder. We hope the police in Bolton will come to see the parking attendants as an extra set of eyes and ears who are able and willing to help them we are delighted our clients in Bolton have supported us in this initiative.”
What council says
Bolton Council’s Executive Member for Environmental Services Councillor John Byrne said: “This partnership is welcomed by the Council as it will make the best use of resources to allow parking attendants to do their job without the fear of being abused or intimidated. By working with the police, attendants will be able to use their observations on the streets to help the police further reduce the level of vehicle and general street crime in the town.”
Supt Dave Flitcroft, from Bolton Police said: "Greater Manchester Police in Bolton are delighted at the prospect of working with NCP UK Ltd. We are committed to the continued reduction of crime and disorder through our work as members of BSAFE Partnership and welcome the opportunity of strengthening relationships with the Parking Attendants and staff of NCP UK Ltd. I am convinced that Partnership Plus will contribute to our continued success in making Bolton a safe place to live, work and play."
