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Cops have hit the right note to stop Christmas crime.

Patrol officers in Huddersfield today launched their own version of the Christmas classic, Silent Night.

And while it may not be all that tuneful, the song has a serious message about crime prevention.

Officers from Huddersfield South Neighbourhood Policing Team have recorded a special version of Silent Night, which they have released via social media to help provide seasonal crime prevention advice to residents.

It was released at one minute past midnight – twelve days before Christmas – at the same time as West Yorkshire Police Viper officers are patrolling across Huddersfield combating festive thieves.

Viper is a big policing operation which began earlier this month.

Featuring reworked lyrics, the song was the brainchild of Police Community Support Officers Paul Simpkins, Jon Arey, Morgan Cockroft and Chris McNamara. They wrote and filmed the festive epic – completely in their own time – and using free studio space and free technical expertise kindly provided by staff and students at the University of Huddersfield.

They filmed the video at various locations around Huddersfield last week after being challenged to come up with something seasonal to deliver a crime prevention and safety message about the importance of locking doors and windows at night.

Insp Danny Groiser, of Huddersfield South NPT, said he hoped his officers’ crime prevention single ‘struck a chord’ with residents.

He said: “I was approached by Paul, Jon and Morgan about doing something like this and set them a challenge to see if they could come up with a crime prevention-themed song for Christmas.

“Needless to say I was stunned by the results and am very proud of their efforts. All of the work was done in their own time and the end result has been something which gets a strong crime prevention message across in a fun and quirky, and suitably seasonal way.

“Crime prevention is one of a range of tactics being used by officers to thwart thieves this Christmas, and complements our Viper initiatives”.

The inspector added: “I’d encourage anyone who has five minutes to check the song out on YouTube, and extend a huge thank you to Huddersfield University for allowing the lads to record in one of their studios for free.

“If we get a good reaction, I’m sure we’ll do something again. They have threatened to get me on guitar on the next recording though so, we’ll see”.

PCSO Arey, said: “The whole point of doing this was that we always like to use different means of getting a positive crime prevention message out there to raise awareness.

“We thought using Silent Night would really work as it’s a carol which is familiar but hearing a version with changed lyrics would also make people smile a bit and help us get a point across”.

Check out the singing policemen on www.examiner.co.uk