This week marks 50 days since the start of Operation Target – our forcewide campaign to tackle serious and violent crime on the streets of Merseyside.




We launched our campaign on 1st July with a pledge to use all our available resources to target criminals and bring them to justice through disruption, proactive action, education and partnership working.


During that time officers have carried out:

  • Over 440 open land searches
  • Over 740 stop searches
  • Made over 76 knife crime related arrests
  • Officers deployed to Op Target have made a total of over 180 arrests
  • Recovered over 53 knives from people
  • Recovered over 46 knives from open land searches

Chief Superintendent Matt Boyle said: “Our work remains ongoing and we are seeing positive results in terms of arrests, charges and weapons and drugs seizures every single day.


“What is not captured in these figures is the amount of criminal activity which I know is being disrupted by the action we have been carrying out in our local communities in the past two months.


“It also doesn’t show the reaction of the public who have been very positive about our proactivity, and who, I hope, will be pleased to see an increased number of officers on the streets who are committed to making their neighbourhoods safer places to live, work and visit.


“Although our main focus has been on serious and violent crime including gun and knife crime we have also had success in seizing Class A drugs and weapons - as we know they can be used to cause misery in our communities - recovering stolen goods and apprehending known offenders.


“With the support of our partners including local authorities we will continue to carry out warrants, stop searches, roadside checks and open land searches to honour our commitment to keeping everyone in Merseyside safe.


“I would continue to urge people to come forward with information about criminality in their area. Passing on information about where weapons are being stored, who is carrying them and who is dealing drugs in your community is essential to allow us to take action.”


If you have information about criminality in your area DM @MerPolCC, call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.