The police officer who was responsible for making the most arrests ever in one go went back to his old stomping ground to see how operations had changed since he hung up his boots.
The former Specialist Operations Chief Superintendent Trevor Barton, arrested more than 100 people after a group broke into a market hall in Westhoughton and began an illegal rave.
He said: "I stood up with my megaphone and announced, ‘you’re all under arrest for breach of the peace’.
"We arrested all 167 people alongside confiscating all sound equipment and records. It was a great success but such a huge operation that it meant some officers had to take their prisoners as far as Stafford to be held in custody.”
Mr Barton retired 24 years ago and to mark the 50th anniversary of Greater Manchester Police he went back to his old branch, accompanied by his daughter, Sarah Jackson, former Bolton officer and now the Assistant Chief Constable (ACC).
Mr Barton was part of the different forces which came together to form GMP on 1 April 1974, having started his career over the Lancashire border.
Now 80-years-old, he joined serving officers at Hough End Police Station to see the branch he left in 1995.
Chief Inspector Paul Bray took the role of tour guide for the day, as Mr Barton and ACC Jackson met the horses, dogs, vehicle interceptors and firearms teams.
They even met the force's newest, and largest, recruit, Police Horse Trooper, as he prepared for his first outing.
Mr Barton was behind the purchase of the first ever police helicopter in 1987 and was a passenger during its maiden flight the following year.
He was also instrumental in advancing the way we deal with road pursuits, led the first ever public order training exercise at night and helped to improve the speed police were answering 999 calls. M
Mr Barton put the public order training to good use while breaking up the rave.
It’s a story his daughter, ACC Jackson, never believed, and said: “For years my dad’s been telling anyone who would listen a story about the time he arrested the most people ever in one go, and no one in the family has ever truly believed him.
“That was until a couple of years ago when my dad met Chief Constable Stephen Watson and much to my surprise, he confirmed that the story was in fact true, and he was actually one of the officers who was part of the operation.”
Mr Barton said, “We had some great times and carried out some amazing work, making a phenomenal difference to the good people in our community. It's a bit like cricket: there are bits you do on our own, and bits you do as part of a team, but one doesn’t work without the other.”
He added: “I feel like I’ve been back home. The teams I’ve spoken to looked smart, were experts in their field and it was clear that they are proud to represent GMP in their work.
“The next 50 years look promising for GMP, and who knows, maybe there’ll be another member of the Barton bloodline climbing up the ranks who can be interviewed for the 100-year commemorations.”
press.office@gmp.police.uk
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