Community Attitudes
In the wake of the Gooch gang prosecutions, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Peter Fahy, referred to the need to keep guns off the streets. He spoke of working with the local community with the aim of identifying those at risk of being drawn into gang membership and educating them as to the consequences of involvement in such activities.
Some newspapers have reported a change coming from within the community in the area of Moss Side, in particular, where there have been no gun fatalities for over three years, reporting that "Moss Siders feel that change is running more deeply than the police's work in winning convictions for the Gooch gang". Patsy McKie, whose son was shot dead over ten years ago, in a row over a bike, was reported as saying "People are standing up and saying, we don't want this any more, and the young people are taking notice". Local councillor, Alistair Cox, noted ""People had been very frightened, understandably. But witness protection schemes and an absolute transformation in policing have changed that".
Read more about this topic: Gun Crime In South Manchester
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