Reports from the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner on February 12, 2026, show that crime has fallen by over 30 per cent in the Netherton area of Bootle, Merseyside. The three-year police operation has focused on removing drugs and weapons from the streets to make the neighbourhood safer for residents.
Since the project began in January 2023, Merseyside Police have made 147 arrests and carried out 230 stop-searches. Officers seized several firearms and large quantities of drugs, including cocaine, heroin, and cannabis, during the targeted enforcement.
The crackdown has led to a 69 per cent reduction in both anti-social behaviour and residential burglary in the local community. Alongside these arrests, 522 vulnerable people have been safeguarded through joint work between the police and Sefton Borough Council.
To help prevent future crime, a youth project called Dear Merseyside has been launched in local schools. This initiative features poet Joseph Roberts and aims to stop young people from being influenced by criminal gangs.
