This week, several women’s organisations in Greater Manchester have launched a petition demanding that Andy Burnham commits to making ‘root and branch’ change to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) before the Greater Manchester (GM) Mayoral election on 2nd May 2024. Women’s organisations have been corresponding with GM Mayor Andy Burnham raising their concerns about misogyny and misconduct in Greater Manchester Police (GMP) ever since the publication of a report in November 2022 by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). Ordered in the wake of the horrific murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Metropolitan Police Officer, the in-depth investigation found a culture of predatory behaviour from police officers in every force it investigated. It made 43 recommendations to address misogyny, misconduct and vetting procedures, which had to be implemented in every police force across the country - and women across Greater Manchester want to know what GMP is doing about it. Concerned that each case of GMP misconduct or criminal behaviour is being treated in isolation, and tired of waiting for the outcome of the Baird Inquiry, domestic abuse organisations, campaign groups, and the Women’s Equality Party, have sent an open letter to Andy Burnham urging him to publish a plan within 100 days of his (presumptive) third term as GM Mayor. They want him to root out institutional misogyny and racism in Greater Manchester Police and they demand systemic cultural change across the organisation. You can read the letter and sign the petition here: https://wwwhttps://www.change.org/WhatsThePlanAndy Dee Sheehan, Safety Lead for GM4Women2028, said: “GMP has a central role in ensuring the safety of women and girls. We need to be confident of a positive experience when we come into contact with GMP, whatever the reason. We need to know how this will be achieved, and to see a plan so we can monitor and report progress”. Carmen Wood-Hope, WEP local election candidate in Salford, said: “How can women and girls be expected to trust the police when police status and powers are used again and again to perpetrate abuse against us? Women are tired of platitudes and empty promises, we need action. We need to be certain that when we report abuse or violence to GMP it will be treated with the care and urgency required to bring perpetrators to justice. “Safety in our public spaces and in our homes is one of the issues that has come up time and again when I’ve been talking to voters in Weaste and Seedley. There is an epidemic of violence against women and girls and if we can’t trust the police things will never change. That’s why we are asking Andy Burnham to commit to ending institutional misogyny and racism in policing once and for all.”
