Section 60 Order introduced in New Ferry/Rock Ferry following firearms discharge

We can confirm that a Section 60 Order has been introduced in an area of New Ferry and Rock Ferry following a shooting last night, Tuesday 26 March.

At around 10.30pm, officers were called to New Chester Road in Rock Ferry to reports of shots being fired at 10.05pm. No injuries were caused and no damage has been found at the time of writing.

An investigation is underway, including witness and CCTV enquiries and a search of the area is being carried out.

The Section 60 Orders run from 2pm today (Wednesday 27 March) until 2pm tomorrow (Thursday 28 March) and extra officers will be in the area to provide a visible presence to reassure communities.

The Order, under S60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, give officers enhanced stop and search powers to stop individuals in the area and is designed to minimise serious violence.

Inspector Nicola Hughes said: “This Order is one of a number of measures we are taking to disrupt those who are willing to use firearms in our community.

“Such action isn’t about bothering anyone going about their daily business or preventing people from meeting with friends. It’s simply about taking action to reduce violence and make sure that everyone can feel safe where they live.

“An investigation into the firearms incident is in the very early stages as we seek to establish what has taken place. We have a large police presence in the area with officers carrying out enquiries and undertaking a search of the area, supported by these additional Section 60 powers.

“Although nobody was injured, to fire a gun in a residential street is incredibly reckless and can have devastating consequences. Officers will remain in the area carrying out enquiries today, and I want to assure those people who live and work nearby that we will be relentless in removing those responsible and their weapon from the streets.

“I would encourage anyone who has information or was in the area and noticed someone acting suspiciously around the area of New Chester Road to please contact us.

“I urge people to check your CCTV, dashcam devices or doorbell footage for anything that can help with our enquiries. Any information you provide, however insignificant it may seem, could be vital to the investigation.”

Inspector Hughes added: “Gun crime has no place on our streets, and we will do everything within our powers to find the people responsible and bring them to justice.

“Every single day our officers are doing proactive work such as warrants, open land searches and stop and searches to remove guns and other potentially lethal weapons from our streets.

“We need the help of our communities to make our streets safer by being our eyes and ears and tell us what they know so that we can take positive action. If you know where guns are being stored, I urge you to contact Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111."

Any person with information on this incident which could help us with our inquiries, is asked to DM @MerPolCC, message ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre on Facebook’ or @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111 with reference 24000288908.

You can also pass information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.