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 city centre and ensure it remains a safe, welcoming and vibrant environment for residents, businesses and visitors. Through a combination of enforcement, prevention and partnership working, we are committed to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour while improving the overall experience of those who live, work and spend time within the area.
Neighbourhood officers maintain a regular presence across the city centre, engaging with businesses, residents and community representatives to better understand local concerns and identify emerging issues. This engagement remains vital in helping us shape our policing response, direct resources effectively and develop long-term solutions to the issues that matter most to local communities.
Over recent months, officers have continued to undertake a range of proactive operations utilising both high-visibility and plain-clothed patrols to deter offending, identify those involved in criminality and provide reassurance to the public. As part of this activity, Community Protection Warnings and Community Protection Notices have been issued to individuals whose behaviour has had a detrimental impact on the local area, ensuring proportionate action is taken to address persistent anti-social behaviour.
Enhanced neighbourhood policing activity has also continued throughout the city centre, with patrols focused on locations identified through community feedback, intelligence and reported incidents. This targeted approach enables officers to prevent crime, address anti-social behaviour at the earliest opportunity and maintain a visible presence in key areas.
Through Operation Clock, Merseyside Police continues to work closely with Housing Solutions, The Whitechapel Centre and a range of other partner organisations to seek effective support and longer-term solutions for members of the street community. This partnership approach aims to ensure vulnerable individuals are directed towards the most appropriate services and support available. However, where anti-social behaviour or criminality occurs, officers will take proactive and proportionate action to protect the wider community, including the use of Community Protection Warnings and Community Protection Notices where appropriate.
Merseyside Police has continued to work closely with Liverpool City Council in support of the ongoing review of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) operating within Liverpool City Centre. As part of this process, the force has provided operational feedback, enforcement data and analytical support to assist the local authority in evaluating the effectiveness of the order.
Analysis undertaken as part of the review has shown encouraging results. Between April 2026 and August 2026, overall recorded crime within Liverpool City Centre reduced by 5.3%, whilst youth-related crime and anti-social behaviour reduced by 20%. These reductions provide a strong indication that the combined efforts of Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council and partner organisations, supported by the enforcement of the PSPO, have contributed towards making the city centre a safer place for residents, businesses and visitors to enjoy.
The PSPO continues to provide officers and Police Community Support Officers with an important tool to address persistent anti-social behaviour and intervene where individuals are negatively impacting the local community. Where appropriate, officers have taken action through engagement, education and enforcement, including reporting breaches to Liverpool City Council for further consideration.
As we approach the Halloween period and the darker nights that accompany the autumn and winter months, we would encourage parents, guardians and carers to take an active role in knowing where their children are, who they are spending time with and how they are travelling around the city centre. Whilst the vast majority of young people behave responsibly, parental awareness and engagement remain key to keeping young people safe, preventing anti-social behaviour and reducing the risk of exploitation or involvement in criminality.
Alongside enforcement activity, we remain committed to working collaboratively with partners to address the underlying causes of offending and anti-social behaviour. This includes supporting vulnerable individuals, engaging with local businesses and community groups, and ensuring that those requiring support are signposted to the most appropriate services.
Information received from residents, businesses and visitors remains crucial in helping us identify issues, develop intelligence and take action against those responsible for crime and anti-social behaviour. We would encourage anyone who witnesses offending or activity causing concern to continue reporting it, as community information plays a key role in shaping local policing priorities and supporting effective partnership responses.
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 the General Enquiry Offices located 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 September, we have continued to make significant progress in tackling retail crime across the City Centre North Ward, securing a number of arrests and charges for shop theft offences. Officers remain committed to targeting those responsible for offending against local businesses, helping to improve safety, reduce losses and increase confidence amongst the retail community.
One current example involves a male suspect who has been identified as being responsible for nine separate shop theft offences across the city centre. He is one of several prolific offenders that officers have identified and are actively pursuing as part of our ongoing commitment to protecting businesses and bringing repeat offenders before the courts.
Officers continue to provide a highly visible presence within key retail locations, offering reassurance to businesses, employees and visitors while acting as a deterrent to criminal activity. Patrol plans and priorities are regularly reviewed by the Sergeant leading the operation to ensure resources remain focused on those locations experiencing the greatest levels of offending and demand.
Key activity undertaken throughout September has included:
•Joint patrols with local security teams, increasing visibility, strengthening partnership working and enabling the rapid sharing of intelligence.
•Targeted action against anti-social behaviour and prolific offenders, including the use of Community Protection powers 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, discuss current crime trends and offer guidance on preserving evidence using "Golden Hour" principles.
•Delivery of "Cuppa with a Copper" events, providing businesses with an informal opportunity to engage directly with local officers, raise concerns and share feedback regarding issues affecting the retail sector.
Operation Santiago continues to play a key role in tackling repeat offending and has supported the successful application for a number of Criminal Behaviour Orders against persistent offenders operating within the area. These orders provide an important tool in preventing further offending and protecting businesses from those who repeatedly target the retail community.
A Criminal Behaviour Order is a court order issued following conviction for a criminal offence and is designed to prevent further anti-social or criminal behaviour. Orders can prohibit individuals from entering specific locations or engaging in certain activities, whilst also requiring positive engagement with support services where appropriate. Breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order is a criminal offence and can result in arrest and further court proceedings.
Following a successful trial, we have secured additional funding through the CitySafe Board to increase the number of Safer Pods operating within the ward. The results from the initial deployments demonstrated a significant positive impact, including:
•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 and Sugar House Steps, a recognised hotspot location.
•A 56.6% reduction in intervention activity, indicating that behaviours were being deterred before enforcement action became necessary.
•More than 90% of surveyed visitors reported feeling safer following deployment.
•Frontline staff reported noticeable behavioural improvements, reductions in youth congregations and a decrease in anti-social behaviour around deployment locations.
We would continue to encourage all businesses and members of the public to report every incident of retail crime, shop theft and violence towards retail staff. Reporting enables us to build intelligence, identify repeat offenders, understand emerging trends and direct resources where they are needed most. Even seemingly minor incidents can help us build a wider picture of offending and support enforcement action against those responsible.
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 located at Admiral Street Police Station or St Anne Street Police Station.