Piccadilly Gardens Team Enjoy Action-Packed Evening

Piccadilly Gardens Team Enjoy Action-Packed Evening

The Piccadilly Gardens Team enjoyed an action-packed evening on patrol, with officers making a series of arrests, carrying out proactive stop searches and taking action to safeguard vulnerable members of the public.

PC Lomax was on a roll, making two arrests during the shift. Her first came after PC Duffy, who was working in plain clothes, witnessed a male adult supplying drugs to a member of the public. PC Lomax subsequently arrested the man on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug.

Later in the evening, PC Lomax arrested a second male adult who had been circulated as wanted in connection with a shoplifting offence committed several days earlier.

PC Simm was also busy, making two arrests of his own. He arrested one male adult after finding him in possession of cannabis and later arrested another male adult following reports that he had been abusive towards members of the public.

After what had been a relatively quiet month by his standards, PC Zamecnik was not to be left out. He arrested a male adult after identifying him in breach of his court bail conditions.

The team also dealt with an incident involving three Afghan men who were seen by PC Duffy approaching two women who appeared uncomfortable with their behaviour. The women were safeguarded by officers, while the three men were issued with Community Protection Warnings aimed at preventing further unwanted behaviour and reducing the risk of similar incidents.

Alongside the arrests and safeguarding activity, officers conducted 16 stop searches and three weapon sweeps throughout the evening, continuing the team’s focus on tackling drugs, weapons and antisocial behaviour in and around Piccadilly Gardens.

Sergeant Jon Wyatt, who leads the Piccadilly Gardens Team, said:

“This is exactly what proactive neighbourhood policing should look like. The team have been highly visible, engaging with members of the public and taking positive action when they have identified criminality or behaviour causing concern.

“There has been a real team effort tonight. From drugs and wanted offenders through to safeguarding vulnerable women, officers have dealt with a wide range of issues while maintaining a strong focus on keeping Piccadilly Gardens safe and welcoming.

“The 16 stop searches and three weapon sweeps also demonstrate that the team are continuing to be proactive rather than simply responding to incidents. I’m really pleased with the work everyone has put in this evening.”

The Piccadilly Gardens Team will continue to provide a highly visible presence in the area, targeting those involved in crime and antisocial behaviour while working with partners and the wider community to make the Gardens a safer, welcoming and greener place for everyone.