The cells at Bolton Police Station have been full “almost every day” according to one of the borough’s MPs, which signals a “change in culture.”

The custody suite at Bolton’s Scholey Street police station was reopened to notable fanfare in April of last year, having been closed for the previous five years.

Now more than a year on Bolton West MP Chris Green says that following discussions with Greater Manchester Police he has heard that the cells have been full virtually every day since.

He said: “With the Bolton custody suite, there’s really been a bit of a cultural change.

“The good thing is that the new chief of police is actually keener on arresting people.

The Bolton News: Bolton Police Station on Scholey StreetBolton Police Station on Scholey Street (Image: Newsquest)

“Up until then they had been going down the road of saying that actually it wasn’t about arresting people and there were certain offences that weren’t treated as priorities.”

He added: “But now there’s been a significant decrease, particularly of burglaries, so there really is some progress being made there.”

The 18-cell custody suite had been closed on 2017 after the previous leadership had decided that it was “no longer needed.”

But on reopening last year, officers reported that its was quickly filling up again including with people arrested on suspicion of burglary, controlling and coercive behaviour, theft, stalking and public order offences. 

This came amid what new Chief Constable Stephen Watson said was a renewed focus on investigating crime, looking after victims, arresting suspected criminals and protecting neighbourhoods across the city region.

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Conservative MP Mr Green made similar points about the shift in culture on a recent appearance on regional television with Labour’s Kirith Entwistle.

She also welcomed the work the custody suite has done since reopening but said there was a greater role to be played by police officers in the community.

Ms Entwistle said: “Labour has a plan to step up community policing, we want to increase the number of PCSOs because its really important to restore the public’s relationship with the police.”

She added: “It’s really important for people to know that they’ve got a friendly neighbourhood police officer who’s there for them.”