A year-long police effort to stop serious and organised crime in Bootle, Merseyside, has produced a significant drop in violence and a record number of weapons seizures. The one-year impact report for Operation EVOLVE, published on 3 February 2026, shows communities around Bootle and Netherton are becoming safer after officers targeted organised gangs that had operated in the area for years.
Merseyside Police’s work combined aggressive “Clear” activity — including Operation Vanguard‑style dawn raids to disrupt high‑level traffickers — with sustained high‑visibility patrols to “Hold” neighbourhoods. The report records a significant double‑digit reduction in violent crime and highlights a large increase in weapon seizures; across the EVOLVE areas the programme has seized a record number of offensive weapons and firearms.
Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said the approach is not just about arrests but also about rebuilding communities. The PCC’s office is reinvesting cash and assets seized from criminals through participatory budget grants and local projects (for example, participatory funding such as the ‘Power to Park Lane’ work), to support youth provision and local regeneration.
Partner agencies have supported the “Hold” and “Build” phases: Sefton Council and housing partners such as One Vision Housing have removed graffiti, improved street lighting and worked to secure vacant properties that were being exploited by criminals. Officers have also used Operation Gears — launched in July 2025 to tackle the illegal use of e‑bikes, e‑scooters and off‑road motorcycles — to disrupt offenders who use modified two‑wheelers to commit crime.
The EVOLVE programme has also encouraged more residents to provide intelligence: the report notes a rise in anonymous tip‑offs to Crimestoppers (around a 25% increase locally over the year) and far higher uplifts in community intelligence across the four EVOLVE sites. Local officials say that growing public cooperation is helping to break the cycle of criminality in Bootle and Netherton.
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