Cheshire Constabulary has conducted a three-day operation aimed at protecting children and vulnerable people across the county.

Operation Guardians ran from 19 May - 21 May 2025, with hundreds of officers and staff members taking part.

There were 18 arrests in total across the three-day operation, including for drug-related offences.

Officers conducted a number of visits to registered sex offenders, ensuring they were complying with conditions. This resulted in five arrests by SOMU.

A number of plain clothes and high visibility patrols were conducted, with 40 deployments to schools across the force - focusing on engagement about safety and knife-crime prevention.

Officers conducted engagement visits to children's care homes, with 23 hotels also visited in relation to Operation Makesafe.

The force-wide operation focused on safeguarding children in Cheshire who may be at risk of exploitation, as well as engaging with schoolchildren and partners.

During the operation, officers were also ensuring those who have committed offences against children and vulnerable people are complying with the conditions of their bail, or Sexual Harm Prevention Orders.

There were high visibility patrols outside schools and plain clothes patrols in town centres throughout the days, to tackle any anti-social behaviour whilst providing a reassuring policing presence.

Schools and other partners were directly engaged with, to ensure people knew to report any potential offences or concerns.

There were a number of warrants executed across the force and visits to addresses, in partnership with the probation, service to ensure suspects were adhering to the conditions they were subject to.

Operation Guardians also coincided with Sceptre, a national effort aiming to reduce the impact of knife crime in our communities.

As part of this, officers conducted knife sweeps and set up amnesty bins, to allow members of the public to safely dispose of knives or bladed articles.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Williams, who co-ordinated the operation, said: "I am incredibly proud of the success of Operation Guardians, which resulted in multiple arrests and engagement activities.

"This is an example of different departments force-wide working together to highlight the great work that Cheshire Constabulary does in protecting children and vulnerable people across the county.

"But it's also important to stress that the activities which have been taking place across the past few days are part of our everyday policing tactics and 'business as usual' the whole year round.

"It's vital that those who would harm children in Cheshire know that we will utilise all the tools at our disposal to safeguard young and vulnerable people.

"Anyone who is found to have committed any offences will be caught and held accountable."

The operation included officers from local policing and beat management teams, PVP (Protecting Vulnerable People), OCAIT (Online Child Abuse Images Team) and SOMU (Sex Offender Management Unit).

Anyone who has information relating to child abuse and exploitation or has any concerns can call Cheshire Constabulary on 101 or report information online via its website.

Information can also be provided anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.