Cheshire Police chiefs have hailed the success of an operation in busy town centres like Nantwich aimed at making people feel safer.
Operation Yellow Redeemed involved officers and partner organisations taking to the streets of Nantwich, Crewe, Congleton, Chester, Warrington, Stockton Heath and Culcheth.
They encouraged people to download Hollie Guard – a personal safety app which can turn a smartphone into an advanced personal safety device.
A shake of the phone enables the user to generate an alert, with the location, audio and video evidence of the incident.
This is automatically sent to an emergency contact, via text and email.
Officers also issued Hollie Guard Extra vouchers to those they believed could benefit from the app.
More than 200 vouchers have been handed out for the enhanced version of the app.
The investment into Hollie Guard forms is part of Safer Streets initiative.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire John Dwyer secured £1.5 million of funding from the Home Office to roll out projects across Cheshire, including the partnership with The Hollie Gazzard Trust.
Insp Cliff Goodwin, operational lead for Safer Streets and Operation Yellow Redeemed, said: “Officers took to the streets, equipped with a state-of-the-art digital van and a Safer Streets safety bus, with a mission to spread the word about Hollie Guard, and work alongside partners to help identify anyone who would particularly benefit from the added security and protection that Hollie Guard extra brings.
“By working with our partners, including but not limited to Cheshire Independent Domestic Violence Advisors, Tomorrow Women, Story House, Motherwell, and Youth Zone, we are able to create safer streets for everyone in Cheshire, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable community members.
“We are committed to making Cheshire a place where everyone can walk the streets with confidence, knowing that help is readily available.
“If anyone feels like they would benefit from Hollie Guard Extra, please contact your local policing unit and ask to speak to the beat sergeant or inspector who would be happy to discuss this with you.”
Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer said: “Protecting vulnerable and at-risk people is a priority in my Police and Crime Plan, so I’m really pleased to see more Hollie Guard Extra vouchers being distributed across Cheshire to people who can benefit from them.
“We have already seen how the app can make a real difference to people’s safety and enhance the way that the police respond to incidents where it is used.
“If you could benefit from Hollie Guard Extra then please do get in touch with your local policing team.”
Sadly as a resident of Nantwich you still see cyclist riding on the pavements, sometimes at speed. There are time s you also see young males with face coverings on deliberately hiding their faces riding round the town centre. I suspect some are dealing in drugs. Very rarely do you see Police Officers working through the town.
Speeding by cars down the Barony Road is not uncommon. A small number of drivers obviously exceeding the speed limit excessively . I can not remember a Police Officer with speed gun on the Barony.
Police on the beat , seems a practice in a previous age.