City Centre North

We are responding to community concerns linked to a range of anti-social behaviour linked to youth groups and members of the street community across the ward. The main number of reports over the last month have been around the areas of Williamson Square and around Highfield Street, near to Vauxhall Road.

We continue to work closely with a range of partner organisations to address issues affecting the area and ensure it remains a safe and welcoming environment for residents, businesses and visitors.
Neighbourhood officers regularly patrol the area and engage with local businesses, residents and community representatives. These conversations provide valuable insight into community concerns, help identify emerging issues and enable us to respond effectively through targeted problem-solving and enforcement activity.
Over recent months, officers have carried out a number of proactive operations using a combination of high-visibility patrols and plain-clothed officers to tackle criminality and anti-social behaviour. As part of this work, several Community Protection Warnings and Community Protection Notices have been issued to individuals whose behaviour was having a detrimental impact on those living, working and visiting the area.
Throughout the summer holiday period, a dedicated policing and disruption plan has been put in place to address seasonal increases in anti-social behaviour across the city centre. This has included enhanced foot patrols, increased officer visibility at key locations and greater engagement with businesses, residents and visitors to identify and address concerns at an early stage.
We have also continued to work closely with Liverpool City Council in support of the recently introduced Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). Merseyside Police provided evidence to support the application process, and the order is now being actively enforced by police officers and PCSOs. Officers have taken robust action where individuals have failed to comply with the restrictions, including directing individuals away from affected areas and reporting breaches to Liverpool City Council for further enforcement consideration.
The PSPO is designed to address persistent anti-social behaviour within designated public spaces and provides additional powers to help keep these areas safe, welcoming and accessible for everyone. We will continue to work alongside Liverpool City Council to raise awareness of the order and ensure it is used effectively where necessary.
Neighbourhood officers continue to carry out targeted patrols at locations identified through community feedback, intelligence and reported incidents. These patrols are focused on preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, providing reassurance and responding proactively to concerns raised by local communities.
We remain committed to working collaboratively with our partners to address the issues that matter most to local communities. Information from residents, businesses and visitors is vital in helping us identify problems, target resources effectively and take action against those responsible for crime and anti-social behaviour.
We encourage anyone who witnesses crime or anti-social behaviour to report it. Incidents can be reported by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency. Reports can also be submitted online via the Merseyside Police website or in person at Admiral Street Police Station or St Anne Street Police Station.

We aim to build trust with local retailers by responding proactively to retail crime and encouraging confidence in reporting incidents such as shop theft, burglary, and robbery, so we can better support businesses across Liverpool City Centre.

During August, we have continued to make significant progress in tackling retail crime across the City Centre North ward, securing numerous arrests and charges for shop theft offences. Our officers remain relentless in pursuing those responsible for offending against local businesses, helping to improve safety and confidence within the retail community.
One current example is a male suspect we have identified as being responsible for nine separate shop theft offences. He is one of a number of prolific offenders we have identified and are actively pursuing as part of our ongoing commitment to protecting businesses and bringing offenders to justice.
To strengthen this work, we have introduced a dedicated team of officers through an initiative known as Operation Santiago which focuses on tackling shop theft, burglary and robbery in key retail locations across Liverpool City Centre. The team works closely with local businesses and takes a proactive, intelligence-led approach to reducing crime and supporting retailers.
Officers provide a regular, high-visibility presence in busy retail areas, helping to deter criminal activity while reassuring business owners, staff and visitors. Priority locations are reviewed weekly by the Sergeant leading the operation to ensure resources are focused where they are needed most.
Key activities under Operation Santiago include:
•Joint patrols with local security teams, increasing visibility, strengthening partnerships and enabling real-time intelligence sharing.
•Targeted action against anti-social behaviour and repeat offenders, including the use of pre-Community Protection Notices (pre-CPNs) and Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) to disrupt offending and protect businesses.
•Attendance at Retail Watch meetings, organised by Liverpool BID and Liverpool ONE, where officers provide crime prevention advice, guidance on preserving crime scenes using "Golden Hour" principles, and address concerns raised by retailers.
•"Cuppa with a Copper" events, providing an informal opportunity for businesses to engage with local officers, build relationships and share feedback.
Operation Santiago has also contributed to the successful securing of a number of Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) against persistent offenders operating within the area. These orders play an important role in reducing crime by placing strict conditions on individuals who repeatedly target businesses.
A CBO is a court order imposed following a criminal conviction and is designed to prevent further anti-social or criminal behaviour. Orders can include restrictions, such as banning an individual from certain locations, as well as positive requirements, including engagement with support services. Breaching a CBO is a criminal offence and can result in arrest and further court proceedings.
We also recognise that some businesses are affected by offenders whose criminality is linked to substance misuse. To address this issue, funding has been secured for a Safer Pod, which has been installed in stores experiencing persistent problems. The Safer Pod has already proven effective as a highly visible deterrent, helping to reduce offending and support retailers.
We have applied for funding via the Citysafe Board to seek to increase the number of Safer Pods in the area based on the results of a trial use of them with the results being as follows…
•A 34% reduction in overall incidents within the trial area.
•A 40% reduction in violence-related incidents.
•An 84% reduction in incidents at Chavasse Park/Sugar House Steps, a known hotspot location.
•A 56.6% reduction in intervention activity, indicating that behaviour was being deterred before enforcement became necessary.
•More than 90% of surveyed visitors reported feeling safer as a result of the deployment.
•Frontline staff reported clear behavioural changes, reductions in youth congregations and a noticeable decrease in anti-social behaviour around the deployment sites.
We encourage all businesses and members of the public to report every incident of business crime or offences against retail staff. Reporting helps us build intelligence, identify repeat offenders and target our resources effectively.
Incidents can be reported by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency. Reports can also be submitted online or in person at the General Enquiry Offices at Admiral Street Police Station or St Anne Street Police Station.
Through strong partnerships, proactive policing and the dedicated work of Operation Santiago, we will continue to target those who cause harm to our retail community and ensure Liverpool city centre remains a safe and welcoming place to work, visit and do business.