GMP leads the way in protecting Vulnerable People

Greater Manchester is leading the way in protecting vulnerable people thanks to a groundbreaking agreement which was launched on Monday 15 September at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre.

Greater Manchester's Family Justice Council brings together the police and their partners to provide services through the family and civil courts to protect victims of domestic abuse, forced marriage and harassment. The Protocol sets out the working arrangements between the family, civil and criminal justice systems that will ensure victims and children are properly protected by any orders made in the family and civil courts. Where such orders are breached, they will ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice and held accountable for their actions.

Since the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 came into effect in July 2007 breaching certain family and civil orders has been a criminal offence so it was implemented to share information between the criminal and family and civil jurisdictions.

Now through partnership working under the umbrella of the local Family Justice Council Domestic Violence Sub-Group a closer, more streamlined way of closing the gap between the criminal, family and civil process has been agreed. As soon as relevant orders are now made, the courts and those representing victims will share information with the police about people who are said to have subjected victims to domestic abuse, forced marriage or harassment. This will enable partners to respond quickly and effectively when it is alleged an order has been breached.

The protocol sets out clearly the steps to be taken and the responsibilities of relevant agencies once orders have been made and also the steps to be taken by the police and the Crown Prosecution Service if an offender is arrested for being in breach of an order. By speeding up the process of providing information to the police and making significantly more relevant information accessible to all police officers through the Police National Computer, it should ensure that offenders who have breached relevant orders will be quickly held accountable for their actions. Offenders can be jailed for up to five years for breach of an order.

Ian Hopkins, Assistant Chief Constable for Public Protection at Greater Manchester Police said: "Protecting vulnerable people sits at the very core of our work within the police service and this protocol will assist all the various agencies.

"The focus of the work is to ensure victims are properly protected which will increase their own confidence and enable them to break the cycle of domestic abuse."

People that are victims of domestic abuse don't need to suffer in silence. Help is available from Greater Manchester Police on 0161 872 5050 or alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.