Shifting sights

 Ten years ago, Manchester was notorious for its relatively high rate of gun crime, prompting Greater Manchester Police to create its Xcalibre Task Force to handle the issue. In the years since, with gun crime falling in the city, Police Professional investigates the changing tactics that see diversion schemes take a bigger role over enforcement.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, gun crime in Manchester was rife compared to other major cities in the UK. Dubbed ‘Gunchester’ by sections of the media, the city saw 40 gang shootings registered by police in 2004/5. In 2006/7, gang-related deaths and gun discharges were in excess of 50 a year.

Fast-forward to 2012/13, however, and only two gang-related gun deaths have occurred.

The roots of this radical improvement in Greater Manchester are credited to the introduction of the Xcalibre Task Force, Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) response to gun crime in the city and a central part of the Manchester Multi-agency Gun Strategy (MMAGS).

Speaking at a gun crime conference hosted by GMP last month, titled ‘The Manchester journey – Tackling gangs and youth violence together’, Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Shenton, who oversees the Xcalibre Task Force, said that GMP had taken big steps in its response to gun crime, adding that while the force has led enforcement on the issue, partnership working has played a major role in achieving the dramatic improvements of the past ten years.

“GMP has led the way nationally in reducing and sustaining the reduction of firearms discharges over several years, and this gives communities confidence that we will respond positively to their information and concerns about this most serious of crimes,” he said.

“We are justifiably proud of all our hard work, but this success is not solely a GMP achievement – it has been down to everyone working together. We always said that policing by itself was not the solution, as we can only enforce the law, and that tackling this type of crime needs long-term strategies to address social issues around education, housing and opportunities.

“Success has not made us complacent, as the Xcalibre Task Force still works in areas where gangs are operating, and we will continue to target criminals who use, house and supply firearms. We will also continue to work with our partners to identify those who are likely to pursue a gang lifestyle, so we can divert them from that path.”

The work of Xcalibre, as Chief Supt Shenton asserts, only represents one side of the MMAGS. To provide diversionary tactics and rehabilitation for gang-members, an Integrated Gang Management Unit was set up to complement the work conducted by Xcalibre.

Chief Inspector Debbie Dooley, from the Xcalibre Task Force and Integrated Gang Management Unit, says a substantial shift has occurred in the way GMP tackles gang crime.

“Now the focus for both units [is diversionary tactics]. Whereas in 2006, the focus was 100 per cent enforcement, we are now 60 per cent diversionary and we hope to keep increasing that year-on-year.”

Diverted from the gangs

The Integrated Gang Management Unit interacts with young people vulnerable to gang recruitment and those who have already been sucked into gang culture in south Manchester, attempting to divert them towards more positive lifestyles.

Based in Greenheys Police Station in south Manchester, the unit embraces co-located multi-partnership working. Members of the Probation Service, social services, two intervention workers from the youth offending service and one employment and education officer are part of the unit, together with one police officer.

Chief Insp Dooley says that communication between statutory agencies and the police has improved and information-sharing and joint action on gang activity in the city has increased.

“Because we are co-located in one office, we are hands-on and on a daily basis sharing intelligence and being able to react to issues as they arise,” she said.

“Previously, where we might have received intelligence that there