Killing of Rhys Jones sparks gun crackdown

Sep 10 2007 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

THE Home Office has launched a £1m crackdown on city gun crime in the wake of the shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Croxteth Park.

Yesterday, the Government revealed their new programme in an attempt to stamp out gang and gun culture in four of the English cities which have suffered most from gang violence.

Neighbourhoods in Liverpool, Greater Manchester, London and Birmingham will be targeted for action including undercover operations and surveillance against gang members, heightened police visibility and safe houses for witnesses and victims.

The programme, launched following the fatal shooting of the young Everton fan as he walked home from football practice, will be led by Merseyside Police Deputy Chief Constable Jon Murphy and overseen by a Ministerial Taskforce on guns and gangs, chaired by the Home Secretary.

Manchester, London and Birmingham account for 50% of gun crime with Liverpool in fourth position in the league of shame.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said Liverpool communities affected by gun gangs would “absolutely” notice a difference in their neighbourhoods over the autumn as a result of the launch of the Tackling Gangs Action Programme.

Ms Smith also made it clear that she was ready to consider proposals from the Association of Chief Police Officers for potential witnesses to be offered anonymity from an early stage in the investigation of a shooting.

She also acknowledged that the increasing prevalence of gangs, and the involvement of ever-younger people in gun crime, was a serious concern.

It is understood that Rhys was shot in error by a teenage gunman, aged between 13 and 15, and was the innocent victim in a feud between rival gangs from Croxteth and Norris Green.

Ms Smith said: “The Government takes gun crime very seriously but we must remember that the gun crime problem is concentrated in a few local areas and they are the ones on which we must focus our efforts.

“I am clear that we must get guns off our streets and tackle the serious gangs who are creating the most problems.

“Recent tragic events have rightly made us ask if we are doing all we can to tackle serious crime involving guns and gangs.

“We have given the police tough powers to stop and search anyone they believe is carrying a weapon or has been involved in gun crime.

“We have seen some significant achievements, but we need to do more both to understand the changing nature of gun crime and gang culture and to maximise the effectiveness of our approach.”

The neighbourhoods targeted for action were gun crime “hotspots” accounting for more than half of all firearms offences in England and Wales, said the Home Office. Each will see a tailored package of enforcement action and community reassurance work, including:

Covert operations and surveillance against known gang members;

High-visibility police presence, including on routes to and from schools;

Use of civil orders to restrict gang members;

Safe houses for victims, witnesses and people trying to leave gangs;

Mediation services to stop disputes between gang members;

Greater witness protection, possibly including enhanced anonymity for witnesses.

ACPO president Ken Jones said: “With our partners, we also want to do whatever we can to support the law-abiding majority of people who live in the affected areas whilst making affected neigh-bourhoods hostile to gangs. This means a strong law enforcement approach alongside work by communities, local authorities, business and other organisations.

“All have a part to play.”

The chairman of the Local Government Association, Sir Simon Milton, added: “The deeply worrying increase in gun-related crime among young people is something all authorities have a duty and responsibility to tackle head on at once.

“Councils must reclaim the streets.”

OPINION: PAGE 10

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