How we made Liverpool safer at night by Alison Doherty

Alison Doherty is responsible for supporting Citysafe, the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership in Liverpool. She tells Crimestoppers how they significantly reduced recorded crime and the fear of crime, particularly at night, in Liverpool. By tackling crime as part of a wider regeneration strategy and taking a joined-up approach with other partners concerned with fighting crime, Doherty illustrates how Liverpool can set an example for crime-fighting across the UK.

Management of a safer night-time economy is crucial to the overarching regeneration and reputation of cities like Liverpool. 

Liverpool has a world-class night-time economy, drawing on its diverse cultural background and vibrant community.  With Liverpool being Capital of Culture 2008, this meant that the night-time economy boomed with extra events and an additional 2million visitors.   At the same time the city is undergoing one of Europe’s largest regeneration programmes including new buildings, highway and environmental improvements.  The night-time economy is a major part of this regeneration including Liverpool One (Europe’s largest new shopping centre with bars, restaurants, hotels, a leisure complex and apartments), and Kings Waterfront (Echo Arena and BT Convention Centre – host to major music and other entertainment shows, hotels and apartments).

We actively promote social inclusion, community cohesion and take co-ordinated partnership and community action against crime and disorder – particularly those crimes which affect vulnerable groups such as hate crime experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Liverpool’s City Centre Joint Agency Group (JAG) – a subgroup of Liverpool’s Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership comprising local authority, police and other public and private sector partners – is well established to manage a safer night-time economy, which comprises of over 240 licensed city centre premises, restaurants, bars, clubs and theatres.    Levels of crime in the city centre have fallen by 31% since 2004/05 under the partnership’s management.  This overall reduction – equating to 4,492 fewer victims - has been achieved at a time of significant change and regeneration without any significant increase in funding, and shows the effectiveness of partnership work and of prioritising core business.  Liverpool’s crime reductions in the city centre continue to outstrip performance of similar sized cities in the UK. 

The process

The City Centre JAG, established in 2004, incorporates all of the main agencies and stakeholders in the city centre.  It meets regularly and addresses changes, promotes the city centre as a safe place to invest, live and visit, and it puts in place a number of activities to address particular challenges and issues highlighted as a result of its proactive environmental scanning.

The aim is to work together in partnership to promote a safer night-time economy whilst managing all of the issues associated with having this vibrant night-time economy. The JAG supports the strategic and operational activity of all partners and uses analytical data and information from a wide range of surveys, partnership data and knowledge.  Partners recognise that the public’s feelings of safety is an important factor. Communication is key so the JAG routinely collects data through an Annual City Centre Feelings of Safety Survey to inform a greater understanding of the city centre, its market and consumers. The JAG effectively targets its resources to identified needs, shared priorities and outcome targets.  It delivers a number of projects and partnership activities to address these shared priorities and outcome targets.

Examples of activities and events to contribute to a safer night-time economy in Liverpool:

Goldzone

Partnership resources in the city centre are enhanced through the provision of a dedicated police team, acquired through an agreement between the City Council and Merseyside Police.  The team of one sergeant and twelve constables has been in place for several years and continues to contribute to reductions in crime and safety initiatives.

Taxi rank marshalling initiative

This provides reassurance and support for visitors enjoying a night out in the city centre by targeting potential trouble makers and discouraging taxi drivers from `cherry picking’ fares.  Dedicated partnership patrols work closely with the Security Industry Authority (SIA) accredited taxi marshals in key locations.  The scheme has proved popular with residents and visitors and has helped reduce incidents of violent crime and other crime. 

Licensees Watch

Liverpool’s city centre scheme has 110 pubs, bars and clubs on its membership list.  Activities include radio alert communications – sharing information from premises to premises; distribution of photographs and details of offenders and criminal activity; Smoke Free schemes, and conflict resolution training.

Predictive crime pattern analysis

This provided evidence of an increase in street crime in the city centre during the Christmas shopping period.  A street crime reduction plan was therefore developed and the main hotspot areas targeted by partners. This included a multi-agency robbery reduction team supported by neighbourhood policing and with additional support from the Council’s CCTV and Street Crime Wardens, we were able to gather intelligence and identify potential offenders.

Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs)

These have been successfully utilised against prolific offenders.  Many of the ASBOs obtained in Liverpool have been for the city centre.

The factors that underpin success include the fact that partners are all working together towards the same agreed vision, aims and priorities – both at strategic and operational levels.  Furthermore, management of the night-time economy is an important part of the overarching regeneration agenda for the city – and is included in the Sustainable Communities Strategy, the Local Area Agreement and the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership’s Annual Plan.

Partners proactively scan the environment, analyse data and use available intelligence to target their limited resources towards identified needs (including communities’ issues).   The results achieved are evidence of this successful partnership.

Results

• Levels of recorded crime in the city centre encompassing all crime categories have fallen by 31% (4,492 offences) since 2005/06.
• Robbery offences have been reduced by 51% (173 less victims of robbery) since 2004/05.
• ‘Theft from the person’ offences have fallen by 33% (482 offences) since 2004/05.
• There has been a 39% reduction (131 offences) in domestic burglary in the city centre since 2004/05.
• Commercial burglary has reduced year on year and there has been a 16% reduction (83 offences) in total since 2004/05.
• There has been a 75% reduction in ‘Theft of Motor Vehicle offences’ since 2004/5, and a 44% reduction (439 offences) in thefts from motor vehicles since 2004/05.
• Criminal damage offences have fallen by 46% since 2004/5 (523 fewer offences).
• Year on year, anti-social behaviour incidents have reduced in the city centre.  There has been a 19% reduction (620 offences) since 2004/5 despite a booming and revitalising city centre economy.
• Violent offences resulting in injury have fallen every year since 2004/05 – with a 23% reduction (259 less offences) in 2007/8 compared to 2008/9, and a reduction of 48% (809 offences) since 2004/05.

This overall reduction in recorded crime has been achieved without any significant increase in partnership resources or funding and shows the effectiveness of initiatives and of prioritising core business by those agencies making a commitment and taking responsibility for delivering a safer night time economy.

Significant crime reductions within Liverpool city centre continue to outstrip the performance generated within Merseyside and in cities of a similar size within the UK.  Furthermore, this achievement represents no change in crime recording practice but a tangible reduction in crime brought about by the full remit of partnership activities over a sustained period of time.

Results from the Public Perception Survey in 2009 also show a great success in the improvement of safety feelings in the city centre, including feelings of safety in the night time

• Almost 2 out of every 5 people interviewed during the day say that they feel safe in the city centre during the night (37%) which represents a 2% increase from 2008.
• Among people living in the city centre, the result is the same (37%) which represents a 26% increase from 2008.