Merseyside Strategic Policing and Partnership Board launched to make our region safer

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Senior representatives gathered at the MSPPB meeting

Senior figures from policing and community safety have met for the first Merseyside Strategic Policing and Partnership Board today focused on making our region even safer.

Emily Spurrell has established the Board with the aim of bringing senior representatives from all the partner organisations together to focus on key policing and community safety issues across Merseyside and ensure the priorities set out in her Police and Crime Plan are being delivered.

The Strategic Policing and Partnership Board (MSPPB) will look to address existing issues and drive improvements in the way crime is tackled and prevented, victims and witnesses are supported, and how the criminal justice system operates.

To do this, the MSPPB will oversee a number of existing sub-groups which focus on improving the effectiveness of the response to issues including Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and serious and organised crime.

It will also provide oversight of Merseyside’s Violence Reduction Partnership (MVRP) which takes a public health approach to tackling the root causes of serious violence.

The MSPPB will also review the work of the Merseyside Criminal Justice Board (MCJB) which brings representatives from all criminal justice agencies together to try to continue the improve the CJ system for the benefit of victims and witnesses.

Meetings of the MSPPB will be held quarterly and will be chaired by the Police Commissioner. Attendees will include Merseyside Police’s Chief Constable, the Chief, Fire Officer, Chief Executives from each of the region’s five local authorities and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “The police cannot cut crime on their own. We need the support of all our partners to reduce violence on our streets and make people feel safer in their home and in their communities.

“We must all do everything we can to prevent violence occurring in Merseyside and fortunately, there is a genuine commitment across so many organisations to work together to make a difference for our communities and for victims of crime.

“The creation of this important Board is evidence of that shared determination, and I am pleased these senior representatives from organisations across the region will join me in propelling this work forward.

“We have lots of effective sub-groups already working to address the key issues in our region. Through the Merseyside Strategic Policing and Partnership Board, my aim is to ensure there is real oversight of that work, closely scrutinising its progress, identify where they may be issues or blockages and take swift and decisive action to drive improvements wherever we can.

“It will also be an important forum for sharing learning and best practice between our organisations, increasing collaboration, and making sure we are working as closely together as possible to deliver the best service for our communities.

“I am determined that, by working in partnership, we will be able to drive real change to make Merseyside even safer.”