Police have been granted extra powers in a hotspot for crime
Leeds Street area of the city centre(Image: Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)
A warning has been issued to children in the city centre tonight, as police officers have been granted extra powers on Bonfire Night. Merseyside Police has issued a Section 35 Order which allows officers to send under 16s home, as well as prevent people from returning to an area for up to 48 hours.
Not only that, but officers can also force people to surrender items that could be used to cause anti-social behaviour. Anyone who ignores instructions from officers is liable to arrest.
The zone covers a large portion of the city, with it including Leeds Street, Queens Drive, Byrom Street, Breeze Hill, Hunter Street, Brewster Street, New Islington, Rosalind Way, Brunswick Road, St Johns Road, West Derby Road, Bedford Road, Belmont Road, Dacre Street, Castlewood Road, Regent Road (including Docks), Lower Breck Road, Princess parade, Townsend Lane, Waterloo Road, Cherry Lane, Paisley Street, Walton Lane, and Great Howard Street.
Liverpool neighbourhood policing Inspector Kieron Hogan said: “We will continue to introduce these dispersal zones into key areas, as we know that they are effective.
“People have a right to go about their business in a safe manner and we will use any tool we have to ensure this happens.”
It comes as the force issued more than ten dispersal zones across Merseyside in a bid to curb anti-social behaviour and crime on Bonfire Night.
The ECHO recently covered the long-standing criminality and anti-social behaviour around Leeds Street, which the dispersal zone covers. The situation on the street is causing serious problems for families and businesses nearby, with some describing it as “lawless” and “utterly depressing”.
Leeds Street has long been a dividing line in Liverpool’s urban landscape, separating new developments from some of the city’s most deprived communities.
While shiny new tower blocks and office spaces have appeared in recent years, parts of Leeds Street remain untouched by regeneration.
In recent years the area has become a hotspot for drug use, rough sleeping, and antisocial behaviour, according to those who pass through it daily.
The YMCA has said it works closely with the police and council, is committed to being a responsible member of the community and offers support to people who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness.
Many local businesses and residents are sympathetic to the need to help people suffering from substance abuse issues and affected by homelessness but say they are on the frontline of these problems.
They describe constant disturbances and a growing sense of frustration at what they see as a lack of action from the council and police.
Streets including Pall Mall, Highfield Street, Vauxhall Road, Marybone and Midgall Street have all been highlighted as particular problem areas.
To report anti-social behaviour or criminal behaviour contact Merseyside Police’s social media desk via X @MerPolCC or on Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’. You can also report information via the force’s website: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or call 101.