Liverpool City Council is working closely with Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service to help encourage residents to help keep our communities safe this Halloween and Bonfire season.
With Halloween and Bonfire Night falling during the school half-term break this year, additional policing and partnership activity will be taking place to tackle antisocial behaviour, criminal damage and the misuse of fireworks.
The operation is supported through the Merseyside Antisocial Behaviour Partnership, launched earlier this year by Merseyside Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner. The partnership brings together more than 20 organisations, including local authorities, housing associations and charities, to tackle antisocial behaviour through a coordinated approach.
As part of this work, Merseyside Police will work alongside TravelSafe teams to identify offenders on the public transport network, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and local authorities to remove unsafe bonfires and the Council’s Trading Standards officers targeting the illegal sale of fireworks.
In addition to this combined effort from partner organisations, we are also appealing to local residents, parents and guardians, all of whom have an important role to play in preventing antisocial behaviour and reporting concerns.
Alongside enforcement activity, hundreds of young people across Merseyside will be able to take part in positive activities throughout the Halloween and Bonfire period, thanks to funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Emily Spurrell and the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (MVRP) through the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES).
Thirty community organisations across the region have been awarded grants through YES to deliver a range of diversionary activities, including Halloween parties, youth club sessions, live music performances, community bonfire events and family-friendly celebrations. Young people will also have opportunities to take part in creative projects, including performances showcasing music developed through YES-funded workshops, helping them build confidence, skills and positive connections within their communities. All of the projects are designed to provide safe, supervised environments where young people can socialise, have fun and access support from trusted youth workers and community workers.
Alongside these activities, schools across Merseyside are helping children and young people understand the dangers and consequences of antisocial behaviour, fire-setting and the misuse of fireworks with the help of Pol-Ed. Launched earlier this year by the PCC and MVRP, the free online platform provides teachers with ready-made lesson plans, videos and classroom resources to support discussions around personal safety, community responsibility and positive decision-making during Halloween and Bonfire Night.
Information provided by local communities plays a vital role in helping police and partners respond to issues and prevent them from escalating. Anyone with information about antisocial behaviour or the misuse of fireworks in their area can contact Merseyside Police via the social media desk, through AI Bobbi or by calling 101.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.
Always call 999 if a crime is in progress, someone is in immediate danger or there is a threat to life.
Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetscene said: “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, force lead for the policing operation said: “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.”
MFRS Group Manager for Community Safety Craig Whitfield: “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.”
