University students help police communicate with victims of crime

13 Nov 2015

Students from The University of Manchester have been working in collaboration with Greater Manchester Police to improve communication with victims of crime

Their work is being showcased on Thursday, 12 November 2015, at an event at Greater Manchester Police Force Headquarters opened by Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts.

The student volunteers gathered public feedback on letters issued by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in the aftermath of a crime. Approaching residents from a wide range of backgrounds, the group’s aim was to ensure that the new Victim of Crime letters used in front-line police services reflected the views of Manchester’s diverse public.

The activity was facilitated by the University’s Multilingual Manchester project in collaboration with GMP’s Neighbourhoods, Confidence and Equality Team. It focused on improving customer service delivery and boosting public confidence in the borough’s policing.

Sergeant Russell Magnall, Victim Satisfaction Manager at Greater Manchester Police, said: “Being a victim of crime can be a distressing experience and GMP is committed to providing the best possible support to all of the borough’s residents. These findings will ensure that our communication reflects this commitment.”

Kelly Murphy, postgraduate student at the University of Manchester, said: “Taking part in this activity allowed me to explore Manchester’s rich language diversity first-hand, and to better understand the flexible way in which local services can respond to this diversity”.   

Professor Kenneth McPhail, Associate Dean for Social Responsibility in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Manchester, said: “Partnerships with key service providers such as GMP create an excellent opportunity for the University to harness the skills and expertise of its students and researchers to make a positive impact in our local communities”.