Stockport residents have been left baffled after seeing police posing for photographs on the same street again, and again, and again. Greater Manchester Police's social media pages regularly highlight their officers out on the beat across the region.
It comes as the under-fire force is trying to boost confidence among the public with a more visible police presence, under the leadership of recently-installed chief constable Stephen Watson. But residents in one Greater Manchester borough have picked up on something striking about the images shared where they live.
In a series of Facebook posts telling residents officers are out on patrol, GMP keeps showing the same spot on Rae Street, in Edgeley. As of today (March 23), the GMP Stockport Facebook page had shared an image from the street on no fewer than 10 occasions since the start of 2022.
Facebook users from Stockport have begun to notice almost the same image popping up time and time again, with the experience of scrolling through their social media feed starting to feel like Groundhog Day. Some have seen the funny side, with one person commenting: "Jesus are you camped out on that corner?"
Another wrote: "They don't seem to be anywhere else the photos are always there... they must be feeding and doing brews for em lol." But while some of the comments are tongue in cheek, a number of residents have raised genuine concerns about officers not being as visible in other parts of Stockport as they appear to be in Rae Street.
One person wrote: "Not in Bredbury where car thieves are operating. Clearly just a publicity shot no actual patrols. Not seen a copper walking for 10 years."
Another person said: "Safe to say if you live on Rae Street you'll be safe, never mind any other street in Edgeley. How many streets in Edgeley and it's always this same one." A third added: "Getting to be a joke this now... never seen any police on the beat. Pathetic!"
According to GMP Stockport, Edgeley is a 'hotspot area' for crime in the borough. A Facebook post from the force, which is repeated with similar wording on a number of occasions, says: "You may see our officers out and about today as they prevent robbery and violent crime."
GMP was approached for comment by the Manchester Evening News .
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