'It isn't just a young person's issue' - Merseyside Police's drive to curb knife crime this festive season

With the busy festive season approaching, Merseyside Police are launching a week of action specifically focused on knife-enabled robbery to reduce the impact this crime has on local communities. A number of operations and initiatives aimed at keeping the public safe from robbery and knife-related offences are being undertaken by the force.

Superintendent Phil Mullally, Lead for Serious Violence and Knife Crime, told LiverpoolWorld: "It is a long-term approach that is really having an impact here where we're seeing knife crime drop in Merseyside, but we know that statistics are just that, statistics. It doesn't always feel like that to the community and that's why this week is so important to showcase what we're doing."

Uniformed officers will be deployed across Merseyside to deter offenders and provide reassurance to the local community, with a particular focus on hotspot areas where high-harm crimes such as robbery are most likely to occur. High-value items such as bikes are often targeted by criminals. The Force has a targeted operation in place to disrupt these offences.

Superintendent Mullally said: "There's also a lot of work in the likes of schools taking place, with engagement with young people. We know it's an issue that young people raise to us but knife crime isn't just a young person's issue it's a societal issue."

Across Merseyside, knife crime and robbery offences decreased by 6.56% and 14.96%, respectively, for the year ending June 2024 compared with the previous 12 months, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

The public can also hand in a knife, bladed article or other offensive weapon safely at ten police stations across Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral. The knives are destroyed unless they show signs of being used in a crime, in which case police have a duty to investigate.

Watch the video to find out more about Merseyside Police's drive to curb knife crime this festive season.