Residents of the Derker estate in Oldham have described their neighbourhood as a former 'war zone' where 'gangs running around with machetes' made it impossible to 'go out after dark'. However, a major police crackdown under Operation Vulcan restored a sense of community, though there are now concerns that progress may be slipping.
Operation Vulcan's Impact on Derker
Operation Vulcan, launched in 2022, initially targeted illegal goods and organised crime around Cheetham Hill and Strangeways before expanding to Piccadilly Gardens, the Derker estate in Oldham, and Brinnington in Stockport. The operation involves a heightened police presence aimed at suppressing crime while fostering community cohesion. In Oldham, it was introduced after a shooting in the area.
Over a 10-month period, the operation resulted in more than 200 arrests, 700 stop-searches, 200 vehicle seizures, and the recovery of 54 weapons—including four firearms—along with thousands of pounds worth of drugs. Violent crime dropped by 25 per cent, and antisocial behaviour incidents fell by 26 per cent compared to the previous year, according to police statistics.
Residents' Experiences
Angela Cosgrove, a former Labour councillor for the area whose family member's car was firebombed, recalled: 'It went from a war zone back to the community. There were gangs running around with machetes. You couldn't come out after dark. It became the norm.'
Charlotte Jones, a member of the Friends of Stoneleigh Park, noted a positive shift in community relations: 'People are now more likely to come forward with information, and they are starting to speak to their neighbours and respect their neighbours.'
Concerns of Backsliding
Despite these improvements, lingering fears persist that the area could regress. During a meeting with residents on July 13, Labour's candidate for the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election, Bev Craig, addressed these concerns. She pledged to invest more in neighbourhood policing, expand Vulcan-style operations across the region, and intensify efforts against antisocial behaviour.
Craig said: 'It's not a surprise because I have lived in Greater Manchester my whole adult life and I have represented communities that have been talking for a long time about the need for more policing on the streets. It's why you've seen numbers now bringing police numbers back to where they were in 2010 and why we want to go further.'
Plans for Expansion
Craig emphasised the need for a broader approach: 'Part of that in my view is a sense for too long antisocial behaviour and links to criminality have been too embedded in too many of our communities. I want to expand Vulcan and make sure there's an opportunity for a Vulcan style operation in every single borough of Greater Manchester.'
She also proposed a 'neighbourhood guarantee on antisocial behaviour' that would coordinate police, council, and housing providers to act before crime reaches 'Vulcan levels'. Additionally, she committed to investing in violence reduction schemes and increasing visible policing, including cracking down on pavement riding by off-road bikes.
Community Response
Craig added: 'Too many people, particularly in the summer, are plagued by off road bikes and kids in balaclavas creating antisocial behaviour. People don't report that because they don't think anything would happen as a consequence.' She stressed the need for 'practical change on the ground through visible policing and clear action.'
