Working together to make Netherton safer

We are part of a community partnership in Sefton called EVOLVE Netherton, which is a multi-agency approach to rescue and regenerate areas most affected by serious and organised crime.

Plus Dane colleagues were part of a group that took part in a recent walkabout on the Park Lane estate over two community safety days.

The walkabouts helped to identify areas that would benefit from CCTV as well as needing cleaning up and improving.

EVOLVE is based on a Home Office-designed strategy called Clear, Hold, Build.  

Partners involved in the three EVOLVE projects across Merseyside include Merseyside Police, Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner, local councils, Merseyside Fire and Rescue, housing associations, health services, schools, colleges, the Probation Service, local businesses, community groups and residents.

Since the Clear element of EVOLVE Netherton began in February, the force has made 32 arrests, seized five firearms, 20 rounds of ammunition, a significant amount of Class A and B drugs and recovered numerous stolen cars and bikes.

There have been several community events including bike marking sessions and days of action, numerous vulnerable adults and children safeguarded, and £40,000 in cash given to local community groups from the Power to Park Lane participatory budget event.

The latest walkabout followed the second meeting of the EVOLVE Netherton Operational Delivery Group, which aims to ensure all partners are working together to tackle the problems around serious and organised crime and provide lasting solutions.

That same week, police made four arrests in Netherton connected to serious organised crime.

Inspector Ray Mavrakakis from the local policing team said: “It is great to see everyone working together to make a positive difference to those living and working on the Park Lane estate and surrounding area.

“We identified a number of locations that will benefit from improvements - from cleaning up broken glass and ridding the area of overgrown weeds to the installation of CCTV – all of which will help to reduce crime.

“We hope the arrests and seizures send a message to those involved in criminality in the Park Lane area that we are continuing to build our picture of those involved in serious and organised crime and we will be using all the powers available to us to get them off our streets.

“We are determined to rid the Park Lane estate of the scourge of organised crime groups and working together EVOLVE Netherton will make a significant difference to those living there.”