Police cracking down on criminality in Sefton are taking part in a day of activity today (Wednesday 25 September.

Operation Vermont uses officers from across the force to focus on community issues. Today this is supporting the ongoing work of Operation Target – our ongoing work to tackle serious and violent crime on Merseyside.

Officers from across the force, including targeted teams, roads policing officers and community officers, gathered at King’s Gardens off Stanley Road in Bootle at 8am before heading out into Bootle, Litherland, Seaforth, Netherton, Formby and Southport. Mounted officers will also be deployed throughout the day.

They have executed five search warrants, and are carrying out open land searches, roadside operations and high visibility patrols across South Sefton to disrupt criminal activity and bring people to justice.

Chief Inspector Matt Moscrop said: “This is an intelligence-led operation aiming to detect criminal activity in Sefton, and deter criminals from engaging in behaviour that harms their community.

“In recent weeks and months, the community in South Sefton have experienced a number of violent incidents which have included the use of firearms and knives.

“Operation Target is aimed at cracking down on this type of serious and violent crime, but we know from speaking to people in the heart of our communities that other types of criminality such as drug dealing, burglary and antisocial behaviour have a huge impact on the quality of their lives.

“The activity we are carrying out today is aimed at letting all those people who want to commit criminal acts and make other people’s lives a misery that they are not above the law. We are out carrying out warrants, searching the areas they may store knives, guns and drugs, and stopping vehicles.

“I hope law abiding members of the public feel reassured that we are out and about and visible in their communities.

“We are concentrating our resources in Sefton today, but this type of activity is happening all year round across Merseyside and I want to reassure people that we work both visibly and behind the scenes with partner agencies to gather intelligence and educate people on the dangers of gun and knife crime.

“We have carried out similar days of action in other parts of Merseyside and are already hearing from offenders we have arrested that many are choosing not to carry knives because they know there is a greater risk that they will be caught.

“This is extremely encouraging but we will not be complacent, and will continue to put uniformed and plain clothed to disrupt anyone prepared to risk the safety of others and themselves by carrying a weapon.

“I would encourage anyone who has information about criminality in their neighbourhoods to contact us so that we may take positive action and make the streets of Merseyside safe and enjoyable places for people to live, work and visit.”

Anyone who has information about drug dealing in the community or knows where weapons are being stored or who is using them can contact us by sending a DM to @MerPolCC, calling 101 or contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.