Operation Vulcan transformed Derker after years of fear and violence
For years, residents of Derker in Oldham described their community as a warzone, with gangs wielding machetes, drug dealing in broad daylight, and a pervasive fear that prevented people from reporting crimes. Carol Knight, 70, experienced this firsthand when her car was firebombed in May 2023. She believes the attack was linked to her daughter Angela Cosgrove's re-election campaign as a councillor for the St James ward. Despite the damage, Carol said 'nothing seemed to get done' and police inquiries yielded no witnesses. 'People were frightened about things coming back onto them,' she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The area's troubles escalated to a shooting in broad daylight, prompting Greater Manchester Police to expand Operation Vulcan from Cheetham Hill to Derker. The operation brought an 'unrelenting' increase in police presence, resulting in over 250 arrests, recovery of thousands of pounds worth of drugs, seizure of more than 200 vehicles, and dozens of deadly weapons taken off the streets. Authorities also shut down multiple cannabis farms, recovering over 200 plants.
Community engagement rebuilt trust, but residents fear a return to the past
Operation Vulcan wasn't just about enforcement. Police held community meetings, built relationships with residents, and engaged with children through football and demonstrations of horses and riot vans. Sarah Butler-Richmond noted that before the crackdown, 'you wouldn’t have parents threatening the children with the police because they weren’t there and the kids did not respect them.' Afterward, she said, 'Through Vulcan and them talking to the parents and talking to the kids, it brought that trust back.'
Nicola Kilgannon described the previous situation as 'just frightening especially for vulnerable people' and 'a nightmare.' Now, places like Stoneleigh Park, once a hub of antisocial behaviour and drug dealing with weapons found in bushes, feel safer and busier on weekends. A new fence installed to protect the bowling green has made an 'unbelievable' difference, with users calling it 'the best green in Oldham.'
Operation Vulcan moves on, leaving residents anxious about the future
Operation Vulcan has now moved to Brinnington in Stockport, leaving Derker residents nervous. Carol Knight emphasized the need to maintain trust: 'The big thing that needs to be built on is the trust. We do not want people to go ‘we never see you’. We do not want to go back to that.' She added that the biggest question throughout community meetings was 'what the future was when you are gone. You can see it slowly creeping back.'
Sarah Butler-Richmond, who walks home from work at 10pm, still feels safe but worries about the next generation: 'I just think they are wasting a golden opportunity to connect with younger people before they start getting in trouble. You only need one bad apple and it spreads.' She fears that without a continued police presence, crime could return. 'You are afraid because you do not know what is going to happen. I can’t see what it is going to be looking like in the next two years. It could be worse. It could be better.'
Greater Manchester Police were approached for comment but did not respond.
