Targeted policing and community safety initiatives are making a tangible difference in Lancashire. Across 16 areas identified by the Violence Reduction Network (VRN) to receive additional policing hours, overall crime has fallen by 13% between July and September 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Key improvements include:
- 14% decrease in violence with injury
- 30% decrease in rape
- 14% decrease in violence without injury
- 20% decrease in criminal damage.
Operation GRIP, a Home Office funded initiative, underpins these successes. The approach involves putting additional uniformed police patrols into these locations at key times, using intelligence to prevent and disrupt crime, while also providing a visible presence to reassure communities.
“These reductions show the real impact that targeted policing and collaborative partnership working can have,” said Chief Inspector Gemma Barr, Operational Lead at the Lancashire Violence Reduction Network.“While these reductions are encouraging, our focus remains on continuing to work closely with Lancashire Police, wider partners, and local communities. Our GRIP funding allows us to direct additional resources and policing hours to the areas that need them most. By combining intelligence-led policing with community engagement, we can tackle serious violence proactively, prevent crime before it happens, and build on this progress to make all communities across Lancashire safer.”
