Seven changes announced in shake up at the top of GMP

He was the force "troubleshooter" who led the dismantling of Manchester's infamous Counterfeit Street. Then he switched to the huge task of making Piccadilly Gardens safer.

Neil Blackwood responds to a challenge and he has been given one. In a shake up at the top of Greater Manchester Police announced today, he has taken over as the new Chief Supt of Salford in one of seven new district commanders appointed across the region.

Ch Supt Blackwood began his career in Oldham 2002. He went on to take a variety of roles, including covert policing roles regionally, nationally and internationally, before returning to GMP to take the lead on Operation Vulcan. The operation succeeded in closing down hooky traders on "the counterfeit capital of Europe' in Bury New Road, Strangeways, after decades of occasional police raids having no impact.

In two years a relentless approach resulted in almost 1,050 tonnes of counterfeit goods seized; 216 shops shut down, 238 suspects arrested, £500,000 in cash seized, and £2.4m of class C drugs recovered., plus 400,000 illicit vapes. Over the past year the high-profile style of policing has been applied to other operations including Piccadilly Gardens, the transport network, and most recently in Bolton, to reduce crime in areas which once caused repeat huge demand on the force.

When launching the operation in Piccadilly Gardens in October 2023, Chief Supt Blackwood admitted the district was a magnet for the homeless, the missing, addicts, and those in danger of being exploited.

Asked if he was confident that the demise of Piccadilly Gardens could be turned around, he said it could and if it had not been improved within six months he would not be doing his job right. He admitted last year he would not want his own mother walking to Market Street through Piccadilly "at the moment".

He delivered again. In a year the intelligence-led operation targeted the most prolific offenders to remove drugs and weapons off the streets. By September this year 333 arrests, 1000s of snap bags of cocaine and cannabis and 100s of weapons had been seized. There has also been a focus on safeguarding, rehabilitation and restorative justice which has seen 95 care plans submitted to partner agencies to ensure the most vulnerable are protected.

Seven changes at the top of GMP

Ch Supt Blackwood's new position at Salford is one of seven changes in the force command structure. Chief Constable, Stephen Watson, has seen leadership as a key element of changing the culture of the force after it was taken out of special measures in October 2022, but with the government's most senior inspector of police saying the force "still had more to do" despite becoming the most improved in the country.

Under Watson's tenure response times to victims of crime has improved, burglaries have halved in four years, and a force-wide "back-to-basics" approach has increased the productivity of officers.

The other six new district commanders are:

• City of Manchester: Chief Superintendent David Meeney

He began his career in 2006 after obtaining a LLB in Honours in Law. He worked in a variety of roles in the Serious Crime Division and was seconded to the Northwest Regional Organised Crime Unit for two-and-a-half years tackling some of the most dangerous and prolific offenders in the region.

• Tameside: Chief Superintendent Chris Foster

He began his policing career in 2003 in South Yorkshire where he received the national bravery award. He joined GMP in 2021 where he continued his public order journey and assumed the lead for Operation Castle which has led the way in significantly reducing burglaries across Greater Manchester with GMP committed to attending every household burglary.

• Stockport: Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes

Ch Supt Lewis Hughes has 21 years’ service, the majority of which has been spent in Crime and Intelligence roles at both district and force level. In 2022 he was appointed as Crime and Vulnerability lead for Bury district before returning to the Serious Crime Division where he has helped achieve justice for victims across multiple complex operations for GMP.

• Bolton: Chief Superintendent Helen Critchley

Ch Supt Helen Critchley started her career in Tameside in 2003. She has worked in a number of branch roles across Force Intelligence and the Serious Crime Division, including economic and cyber-crime. In the last four years she has worked as a Superintendent, and has led teams across the City of Manchester and Stockport.

• Bury: Chief Superintendent Kirsty Oliver

Ch Supt Kirsty Oliver began her career at Collyhurst Police Station in 2005 and has worked a variety of roles at GMP since. Having a background in vulnerability and partnership working, she was posted as Detective Chief Inspector to the Challenger Partnership and later the Serious Organised Crime Group, and most recently she was the Director of Intelligence for GMP.

• Trafford: Chief Superintendent Mark Dexter

Ch Supt Mark Dexter started his career in Longsight and Greenheys police station in 1999. He has a wealth of experience in Specialist Operations, and his most recent roles have seen him work as Superintendent for Central Manchester and a secondment to Counter Terrorism Policing HQ.

Assistant chief's statement

Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle said: “As a force, we are going from strength to strength with the appointment of these seven new district commanders; they will be joining three previously established ones to continue to lead the improvements across towns and cities in Greater Manchester.

“This announcement reflects Chief Constable Watson’s belief that neighbourhood policing is a pivotal area in preventing crime and keeping the public safe. Each district commander is committed and driven to putting in the hard work so the public can go about their daily lives with confidence.

“Making these appointments is a great stride in the right direction on our journey to continue improving GMP and provide an effective service that the people of Greater Manchester can be proud of.”