Police increase CCTV cameras around St Helens to combat criminality

Announced by Merseyside Police and Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, the funding has been made available from the Hotspot Response Fund, a government-backed initiative designed to address and reduce incidents of antisocial behaviour and serious violence in identified hotspot areas.

With further cash to be announced next year, the £200k will be invested in new and improved CCTV, youth outreach activities, extended taxi marshal services and new community spaces.

The funding coincides with increased high visibility foot patrols in hotspot areas across Merseyside, in areas where there is an increased probability of serious violence and antisocial behaviour occurring.

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St Helens town centre was identified as one of Merseyside's 12 'serious violence hotspots' (Image: St Helens Star) As reported by the Star, St Helens town centre was identified by the Home Office as one of the 12 'serious violence hotspots' across Merseyside, due to high-levels of alcohol related crime.

Following this report, Home Office funding has been used to improve lighting and CCTV coverage in the town centre, along with the purchase of 'knife wands' so that security door staff can quickly detect weapons. Police have also been clamping down on extended alcohol licences in the town centre.

In this round of government funding, Merseyside Police will now install five new CCTV cameras around St Helens, which will integrate into the current council network.

Aiming to reassurance to members of the public and aid crime prevention, these cameras will be installed around the junctions of Cambridge Road, Boundary Road, Eccleston Street, Bank Street and Prescot Road.

CCTV cameras will be installed around the junctions of Cambridge Road and Boundary Road (Image: Google Maps) Since April 2024, police state that serious violence has fallen by 48.6% within the region's 25 hotspot areas, with 139 fewer offences recorded against the same period the year before. Antisocial behaviour is reported to have fallen in hotspot areas by 12.1% and all crimes are down by 10.6%.

With officers completed more than 3,600 foot patrol visits between April to September 2024, this targeted approach and high visible presence will continue until at least March 2025, aiming to deter offenders and provide reassurance to the local community.

Superintendent Phil Mullally, lead for Serious Violence and Knife Crime said: “Our hotspot policing initiative sees officers deployed on high-visibility foot patrols across Merseyside. Through these very targeted, data-driven patrols, officers have listened to residents’ concerns and identified opportunities to improve the day-to-day safety of where they live.

“From new CCTV to taxi marshalling, youth sports programmes and transforming community spaces, the Hotspot Response Fund will support a wide range of measures focused on tackling and preventing antisocial behaviour and serious violence.

“While hotspot patrols form part of our policing response to these issues, we understand that a multi-agency approach is vital to creating impactful, long-term change. By partnering with local authorities, local BIDs, City Watch schemes and youth prevention organisations, we can collectively increase safety in communities and tackle antisocial behaviour and criminality together.

“While we have seen serious violence fall across Merseyside in recent years, we are never complacent because sadly we know all too well the devastation it brings. Through the wide range of measures announced today and ongoing work, we are determined to address the root causes and prevent serious violence.”

Emily Spurrell said tackling serious violence and anti-social behaviour is a 'top priority' (Image: Merseyside Police)

Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell added: “Tackling serious violence and anti-social behaviour is a top priority for me and for Merseyside Police.

“There is a huge amount of work being done to prevent these abhorrent life-changing crimes and bring those responsible to justice and the reductions in crime we’ve seen are testament to the police and all our partners.

“Whilst the significant decreases in violence and ASB across our hotspot areas are very welcome, we know that there is still so much to be done in removing the scourge of serious violence from our communities.

“Through this cash injection our aim is to drive crime down even further – putting in place crime prevention initiatives which are proven to work in the neighbourhoods that need it most.

“People deserve to feel safe, in their homes, walking to the shops or coming back from work. These community-led measures are all signed to respond to the concerns of local people and increase their safety and their feelings of safety.

“I look forward to seeing how these wide-ranging initiatives prevent and reduce serious violence and ASB and create safer, happier communities across Merseyside.”