PEOPLE in Tameside can expect to see the clock being turned back when it comes to policing, with the aim of rebuilding public trust.
And the man in charge has promised faster responses to emergency calls, more operations tackling neighbourhood issues and greater visibility in communities.
Chief Supt Rob Cousen believes his way of working and what he wants had an effect just days after stepping up to the role for his home borough.
And he spelled out in no uncertain terms what he wants to see in future.
He said: “It’s about getting back to the basics. Winding back the clock and doing the things we do best. It’s about us working closely with the local authority.
“We’ve been letting too many people down by not getting to their calls for service. We’ve not been doing the basics of policing as well as we should be doing.
“I’ll make sure every burglary victim sees a police officer because that hasn’t been the case and we’ve been letting down the public.
“We’re going to be arresting more people, criminals will be relentlessly pursued.
“Criminals will be frightened. We’ll be kicking the doors in, we’ll have bellies up against the counter and we’ll absolutely make Tameside a safer place for everybody.
“If we get this right, it’s about building public trust and confidence. I don’t think it could be any lower in general.”
Chief Supt Cousen has been told what the main problems surrounding the police are by people in the areas they serve.
He promised more high-profile operations to tackle issues like anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and road safety.
He also vowed to safeguard victims of domestic violence and make sure neighbourhood teams are not diverted to other things.
He added: “People tell us they don’t see enough visibility in their communities.
“It’s about delivering outstanding service and we’ve not been coming up to the mark at times and there are still huge areas of improvement. I’ll drive those improvements in Tameside.
“If a member of the community in Tameside dials 999, we want to get to them quicker. Waiting times will be shorter.
“Victims of crime will be better updated, in line with the Victims’ Code. One area is about taking positive action at domestic abuse incidents – getting there quicker, safeguarding victims and children in Tameside is an absolute priority.
“As a Superintendent, I found some of my teams were being diverted to cope with demand.
“They weren’t left to do the root cause problem solving. I will ringfence those patrols, officers and PCSOs to do that work.
“Our purpose is very clear, focus on the basics. Fight, prevent and reduce crime. Keep people safe and care for people.
“Even in just a week and a half, we reduced our incident demand. We’re getting to the point where we can really meet the needs of our communities and help people cope and recover in their time of need.”