30 PCs switched to 'gun patrols'

Oct 5 2007 Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

MORE than 30 police officers from across Merseyside have been taken off their neighbourhood duties and drafted in to maintain 24-hour patrols in parts of the region rife with gun crime.

Last night, police officials promised that the public would see “no discernible difference” in service and the missing officers would be replaced as soon as possible.

But city councillors have voiced concerns about the move if it means other areas having less police cover.

Eight officers from south Liverpool, nine from Wirral, nine from Sefton and five from St Helens have been drafted in from their office- based duties to police areas of Croxteth, Norris Green, Huy- ton and Stockbridge Village.

The changes could remain in place for up to 12 months, as part of Merseyside Police’s crack down on gun crime in the wake of the shooting of 11- year-old Rhys Jones in August.

A 24-hour foot patrol operation is already under way in Croxteth and Norris Green, with the force planning to dedicate 55 officers to the areas for as long as a year, as part of a new gun crime action team.

There are also plans to bring in more dog patrols and mounted officers to the affected areas as part of the operation.

Last night, the chairman of Merseyside Police Authority told the Daily Post that it had found the funding to recruit 20 more officers as soon as possible to fill the gaps left in the districts – and has asked the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary to match- fund in the hope of gaining a further 20 new officers,.

The authority funding of £625,000 is enough to fund 20 posts for a year.

Cllr Ron Gould, who represents the Mossley Hill ward, said: “We have a concern because of the extra support officers for Croxteth – which we are all in favour of – will mean that they must pull officers from other districts.

“I am concerned how south Liverpool will be able to cope with less officers.”

Police Authority chairman Bill Weightman said: “We realise that while we want to deal with gun crime, we cannot leave neighbourhoods short of police officers.

“The Chief Constable has reassured me that the public will not see any change in actual neighbourhood policing and there will be no impact on response times, which will still be the same when the public phone for assistance.

“We want to be able to offer 24-hour police cover in certain areas. In Knowsley, we currently do so up to midnight as the issue is not as serious as in Croxteth.

“The idea is to block these areas with policemen and make it as difficult as possible for undesirables to be able to operate, and to get evidence we need to make arrests for Rhys Jones’s murder.

“The operation is already in place in some areas but obviously it is not a quick job bringing people in. Recruit- ment is starting straight away and we are hoping it will be in place shortly.” Sefton councillor Jack Colbert said: “It’s robbing Peter to pay Paul, and we are going to suffer. There’s violent crime in other areas. As a councillor, I get complains from people who ring 999 and no one turns up. There’s not enough officers as it is.”