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Liverpool City Council is collaborating closely with Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service to promote safety throughout the Halloween and Bonfire Night period. This year, as these events coincide with the school half-term break, extra policing and joint efforts are being deployed to address concerns related to antisocial behaviour, damage to property, and inappropriate use of fireworks.
This initiative is part of the wider Merseyside Antisocial Behaviour Partnership, which was established earlier in the year by Merseyside Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner. The partnership involves over 20 organisations, including local councils, housing bodies, and charitable organisations, all working together to tackle antisocial conduct through a unified strategy. As part of these activities, Merseyside Police will coordinate with TravelSafe teams to identify offenders on public transport, while the Fire and Rescue Service and local authorities will focus on removing unsafe bonfires. Meanwhile, the Council’s Trading Standards officers will concentrate on preventing the illegal sale of fireworks.
In addition to enforcement, there are significant efforts to engage young people positively. Thanks to funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, and the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership through the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES), around thirty community organisations are providing a variety of diversionary activities. These include Halloween parties, youth sessions, live music events, community bonfire nights, and family-friendly celebrations. Young people also have opportunities to participate in creative projects linked to YES-funded workshops, designed to build their confidence and skills while fostering positive community connections. These initiatives aim to offer safe and supervised spaces where young people can enjoy themselves and receive support from trusted youth and community workers.
Schools across Merseyside are also playing a crucial educational role by helping students understand the risks and consequences associated with antisocial behaviour, fire-setting, and fireworks misuse. This is supported by Pol-Ed, a free online platform launched earlier this year by the PCC and the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership. It provides teachers with ready-made lesson plans, videos, and resources to facilitate discussions on personal safety, community responsibility, and making positive choices during the Halloween and Bonfire Night season.
Community members are encouraged to assist by reporting any concerns. Information from residents is essential for police and partners in responding effectively and preventing issues from escalating. Anyone aware of antisocial activities or fireworks misuse can contact Merseyside Police via social media, the AI Bobbi reporting tool, or by calling 101. Alternatively, reports can be made anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or through their website. In emergencies where a crime is in progress, or there is immediate danger, calling 999 remains the vital course of action.
Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetscene, emphasised the importance of partnership efforts: “Halloween and Bonfire Night should be a fun and enjoyable time for everyone, and our experience in recent years shows that partnership working to tackle anti-social and dangerous behaviour makes a real difference. We all have a role to play in helping keep our communities safe. We will continue to support Operation Banger through prevention, education and enforcement. This includes clearing hazardous materials from unofficial bonfire sites, which can pose a serious fire risk. By working closely with our partners, we can help protect neighbourhoods and ensure residents can enjoy this time of year responsibly.”
Merseyside Police Chief Inspector Kevin Chatterton, responsible for the policing operation, offered reassurance about the plans in place: “We want to reassure our communities that we have an extensive policing plan in place for Halloween and Bonfire Night and will be working closely with a number of partner organisations to keep people safe. Our officers will be carrying out high-visibility patrols and taking action where antisocial behaviour, criminal damage or the misuse of fireworks causes harm or distress to local communities. Last year we saw a small reduction in reported incidents, which was encouraging, but we will continue to be vigilant and would like to remind everyone to celebrate safely and responsibly. However, we also need the support of our communities. Parents and guardians also have a key role to play by knowing where their children are, who they are with and what they are doing. No parent wants to receive news that their child has been injured, arrested or involved in a serious incident. We understand the distress that antisocial behaviour, criminal damage and the misuse of fireworks can cause. If you experience issues in your area, please report them to us so that we can take action. Just as importantly, we would ask people to choose the correct reporting method. If an incident is not an emergency, please use our non-emergency reporting channels, including AI Bobbi on our force website, 101, or our social media channels @MerPolCC on X or Facebook. If there is a crime in progress, an immediate threat to life or someone is in danger, always call 999.”
Craig Whitfield, Group Manager for Community Safety at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, highlighted the dangers of deliberate fires during this period: “We want everyone in Merseyside to stay safe during the Halloween and Bonfire period. Deliberate fires can spread quickly, putting lives, property and communities at risk, and they take our firefighters away from responding to other potentially life-threatening emergencies. We can’t be in two places at once, so reducing the number of secondary fires helps us keep everyone safer. Please also report any build-up of bonfire material through our website to help us prevent any potentially dangerous fires this Bonfire period. We’d also encourage parents, carers, families and friends to speak to young people about the consequences of deliberate fire-setting and anti-social behaviour. Last year, our crews were subjected to attacks, including incidents where fireworks and other objects were thrown at firefighters and fire engines. This behaviour is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. An attack on our crews is an attack on the whole community. All our fire engines are fitted with CCTV, and any evidence of criminal activity will be shared with Merseyside Police.”
Read the full article on Liverpool Express here: Read More
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