Today (Wednesday, 4 March) approximately 300 Merseyside Police officers and staff will be involved in Operation Vanguard, a large-scale operation that sees a swathe of officers lock down an area to enable them to proactively target those involved in criminality and causing the most harm to that community. Residents in Anfield will see a huge police operation as officers from across Merseyside including targeted teams, Matrix, County Lines specialists, Roads Policing, Investigation, mounted and dogs teams, with the support of the North West Underwater Search team, leave no stone unturned in this relentless offensive targeting criminals in their area. Operation Vanguard reinforces Chief Constable Rob Carden’s commitment to have contempt for criminality whilst at the same time showing compassion for victims and the decent law-abiding people, who suffer as a result of the criminality taking place on their streets. Operation Vanguard supports the day-to-day activity our Local Policing officers carry out, to keep our communities safe, by taking strong action against those involved in criminality. Criminality has a massive negative impact on families and the most vulnerable in our communities and today we will be targeting those involved in serious organised crime (drug crime and serious violence), domestic abuse, County Lines, modern day slavery, burglary, robbery, drug and drink driving, and a whole host of other offences. Since the start of the financial year officers in have been working to tackle issues including violence against women and girls, burglary, car crime, drug supply, drug driving, robbery, and serious violence. Police have been actively targeting those driving serious and organised criminality in Anfield as part of the EVOLVE Everton-Vauxhall Clear and Hold phases. Work under the EVOLVE initiative has focussed on: – Disrupting serious and organised crime – Making arrests and seizing drugs, weapons and illicit cash – Engaging the community, especially young people, through Dear Merseyside and prevention programmes – Supporting broader area-wide crime reduction and community confidence building The combination of enforcement, safeguarding and engagement reflects a sustained and multi-faceted approach to improving safety and local quality of life rather than isolated short-term activity. Activity has included: Multiple plain-clothes operations leading to arrests for drug supply, weapons possession and related criminal activity in Anfield and nearby streets The seizure of drugs, cash and weapons (including machetes and large amounts of Class A and B drugs) from those suspected of being involved in drug-related activity And the sentencing of one offender for possession of a bladed article Although Anfield is on the periphery of the EVOLVE Everton-Vauxhall area, which launched in January 2025, the work there contributes to the wider measurable success of the Clear, Hold, Build model across north Liverpool: The operation has delivered more than 115 arrests, seized more than 30 weapons, more than 100kg of Class, A, B and C drugs, nearly £150,000 in cash seized, executed 120 warrants and carried out more than 630 stop searches demonstrating sustained enforcement focused in organised crime There have also been more than 40 safeguarding referrals and a 28% increase in intelligence submissions in the last 12 months The area has also seen the following changes in the last 12 months: – Arrests have increased by 7% – Violence with injury has decreased by 11% – Residential burglaries have fallen by 13% – Commercial burglaries have reduced by 4% – ASB has fallen by 6% – Violence without injury has reduced by 6% – Recorded offences of drug dealing have increased by 72% due to the proactive work targeting offenders – Overall crime has increased by 2% — reflecting the increase in the identification of drug dealing Partnership activity under the EVOLVE ‘Build’ phase includes engagement with young people through the Dear Merseyside campaign, participatory budgeting for community groups with a panel of pupils from North Liverpool Academy deciding which groups were to receive a portion of the £50,000 funding pot, ‘Days of Action’, detached youth work and environmental improvements which benefit areas like Anfield through broader north Liverpool initiatives. Last month Kevin Weetman who was involved in drug supply in the area, was convicted of the Manslaughter of Eric Greener and Sheila Jackson at their home in St Helens and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was sentenced to Life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 25 years. This morning we have so far executed 14 warrants and throughout the day there will be further activity including: – Land searches – Underwater searches – Roadside operations by the Roads Policing Team – Safeguarding of vulnerable people being exploited and used by heartless and callous criminals – Reassurance visits – Activity by the County Lines team – Patrols by officers from our Local Policing Team, supported by officers from Matrix, Licensing, firearms and our Mounted and Dogs teams – Activity by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit – Targeting of suspects wanted for numerous offences including those involved in domestic abuse, serious violence, fraud, neighbourhood crime and drug related offending amongst other criminality Chief Constable Rob Carden said: “This is the second time that we have implemented Operation Vanguard in Merseyside and shows our determination to take those involved in criminality off the streets. “The scale and impact of today’s operation should leave criminals in absolutely no doubt – we are here, we are watching, and if you are involved in criminality you can expect a knock on your door. “This morning 14 warrants have so far been carried out and throughout today our Roads Policing teams will be stopping cars believed to be used in criminality and taking action against drink and drug drivers, and a number of searches will be carried out including searches by the North West Underwater Search Team. “Our officers will also be carrying out reassurance visits throughout the day and identifying vulnerable people who have been used by criminals to offer them support and signpost them to other agencies who can help them. “Our work will continue throughout the day and into the evening and we will be supported by colleagues from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, Liverpool City Council and other partners. “Today’s activity shows our complete and utter contempt for those involved in criminality, whilst at the same time giving the community the compassion, understanding and support they deserve. Our message to criminals is clear – we don’t want them in our communities and we will be relentless in our pursuit of them. “The protection of the public is a vital part of today and we will be supporting and safeguarding vulnerable victims, alongside our partners including Liverpool City Council and local charities and support services. Chief Constable Carden added: “Whilst today shows our clear intention to deal with criminality on our streets using all the resources we have to hand, it firmly supports the activity that our officers and dedicated teams carry out every day of the year to keep our communities safe. “We are stop searching suspects every day, conducting warrants at their homes, searching their properties and stopping their cars. “We want to improve the lives of the decent law-abiding people in our communities and the work being undertaken today and across the year would not be possible without people having the strength to come forward. I want to take this opportunity to urge members of the public to keep telling us where criminals are operating, where they are storing and carrying drugs and weapons, and I promise we will use all the powers and tools at our disposal to take robust action. Your call could make a positive difference, not only for you and yours, but also for your neighbours and the wider community. You can make calls anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and we will act on information we receive.” Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “It is essential that our communities feel safe in their homes and can enjoy everything their local area has to offer without worry or fear. “We work closely with Merseyside Police throughout the year on a range of community safety initiatives that support residents and help prevent criminality. The action being taken by Merseyside Police today is vital to protecting our neighbourhoods and preventing harm. “I want to thank Merseyside Police and all our partners for their hard work and dedication in delivering this operation. To those involved in criminality, today’s activity demonstrates that there is no hiding place. The safety and wellbeing of our communities will always come first.” If you have any information which could help us to prevent criminality in your area, let us know so that we can take action and ensure our communities can enjoy their local areas safely. You can do this by calling 101, or contacting us on social media
. You can also report information via our website: orlo.uk/ty1XR Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here: orlo.uk/MEn5q In an emergency always call 999.
