Manchester and Old Trafford where young people see gang life as their only choice

` gangs are running scared," insisted Chief Supt Dave Keller at the start of the meeting.He is credited with building strong relationships between the police and the community in Moss Side and Hulme. Officers have even been applauded as they carry out raids - a scene unthinkable five years ago.But there are still parts of Manchester and Old Trafford where young people see gang life as their only choice. Those drawn to this way of life are getting younger and their allegiances more chaotic. It is no longer just about men controlling the drug business, it's about boys playing around with guns.But Operation Cougar is having a surprising impact. Gang related incidents and the level of general crime in the area has declined. Senior officers describe its effects as `staggering'.Chief Supt Keller's team came up with the idea of tapping into child protection legislation after becoming con- cerned that boys associated with gangs were getting younger.Chief Supt Keller heads the weekly meeting of top officers, known as `Gold Command', at Longsight Police station which discusses progress. The determination to deal with the problem means involving parents, social services, community groups, schools -as well as the more typical police techniques.During the meeting a report suggests that the new tactic of speaking to teenagers at home with their parents is leaving youngsters confused. They feel it's `not cool' to be taken home to mummy, and it appears to be having the desired effect of keeping them off the streets.Parents, initially suspicious, are now `incredibly supportive'. This gentle approach doesn't work on its own. The number of officers around has increased, the number of `stop and searches' has gone up. There are more armed officers on patrol, and more than 300 search warrants have been executed.The knock-on effect is that the police also disrupting the drugs trade - £50,000 worth of heroin was seized last month as well as guns and ammunition.

On the wall of Chief Supt Keller's office is a copy of an M.E.N. front page which show the faces of 55 people shot dead in Greater Manchester. He says: "When I look at those faces it reminds me of the job I have to do."

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