Greater Manchester Police provides policing services to the metropolitan area of Greater Manchester. The police force area covers 493 square miles in the north west of England. Although there are areas of great affluence, Greater Manchester has a high level of poverty. Around 2.8 million people live in an urban setting. This major conurbation includes Manchester and Salford, as well as the large surrounding towns. The residential population is ethnically diverse, with 16 percent from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and is increased by very large numbers of university students and the large numbers who visit, socialise in, commute into, or travel through the region. The transport infrastructure includes major rail stations and a major airport.
HMICFRS independently assesses police forces and policing across activity from neighbourhood teams to serious crime and the fight against terrorism – in the public interest.
In preparing our reports, we ask the questions which citizens would ask, and publish the answers in accessible form, using our expertise to interpret the evidence. We provide authoritative information to allow the public to compare the performance of their force against others, and our evidence is used to drive improvements in the service to the public.
Force Area |
493 square miles | |
Population |
2.73m people | 8% local 10 yr change |
Workforce |
79% frontline | 78% national level |
| 4 per 1000 population | 3.6 national level | |
| 16% change in local workforce since 2010 | 15% national change since 2010 |
Victim-based crimes |
0.07 per person | 0.06 national level |
| Local 5 year trend (no change) | National 5 year trend (no change) |
Cost |
57p per person per day local | 55p per person per day national |
Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, appointed in September 2015
