Salford South policing team move to Irlam Fire Station
Officers from the Salford South Neighbourhood Policing Team have moved into new premises at Irlam Fire Station. The move will save police £14,000 a year and enable officers to work more closely with the fire service to tackle issues such as antisocial behaviour, arson and firework misuse. The closure of Irlam Police Station will not effect operational policing and officers will continue to patrol the area and engage with residents. Inspector Jill Gorse from the Salford South Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “Irlam Police Station was no longer fit for purpose and cost a lot of money to maintain. Sharing premises with the fire service will not only enable us to save money, but will strengthen our working relationship and enable us to provide a better service to members of the public.” Chief Inspector Vinny Greener said: “In these times of austerity we cannot justify spending thousands of pounds on the maintenance of a building that is no longer suitable for purpose. “Please be reassured that the closure of Irlam Police Station will not effect policing. Officers continue to be out and about on patrol and will be setting up meetings enabling residents to meet with the neighbourhood policing team and air any concerns about crime and antisocial behaviour.” Warren Pickstone, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue’s Area Manager for Salford and Trafford, said: “This initiative is a practical demonstration of how GMFRS and GMP are committed to working together for the benefit of the community we serve. “A number of positives have already been identified out of this move. “In addition to the closer working relationships that sharing the fire station will bring, assistance from the neighbourhood policing team when we’re dealing with incidents such as fires being lit and hoax calls, can only be of benefit to the residents of Irlam.” Lee Rowbotham, Independent Member for Greater Manchester Police Authority, said: “As a member of the police authority and also a resident of Salford, it’s fantastic to see Greater Manchester Police working so closely with the fire service. “There’s no doubt that this move will greatly benefit the local community. Not only will it provide much-needed savings in this challenging financial climate, but it also highlights our commitment to neighbourhood policing and putting local officers in the heart of neighbourhoods.” Source: GMP Due to problems with spam only SalfordOnline members can now leave comments. Becoming a member of SalfordOnline only takes a minute, just hit the red Join Us button at the top right hand side of the page to create your Personal account. Got a news story? Need help with publicity for an event in Salford? Send it to newsdesk@salfordonline.com or call the SalfordOnline newsdesk on 0161 789 5377. |