Police officers in Merseyside will have new powers to search "high-risk offenders" for weapons starting today.
The new powers have been introduced to tackle knife crime and violent offending by making it easier for police to search potential offenders for weapons. Serious Violence Reduction Orders (SCROs) are a new court order introduced to help save lives and reduce serious violence by targeting known weapon carriers.
Merseyside Police is one of four forces trialling the new post-conviction powers, with the pilot scheme running for two years. The court will be able to make an SVRO when an adult is convicted of an offence involving a bladed article or offensive weapon.
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These orders will help to tackle prolific and high-risk offenders by making it easier for police to search them for weapons. The new powers will also help protect first time offenders from being drawn into exploitation by gangs, by acting as a deterrent to further weapons carrying.
While SVROs may only be applied for in the pilot force areas, officers across the country will have the power to stop and search to ensure offenders don't evade enforcement by leaving the area.
Superintendent Phil Mullally, Merseyside’s Lead for Serious Violence and Knife Crime, said: "We welcome the opportunity to trial these new powers and keep the pressure on those who are involved in the most serious violent crime and ultimately, keep our communities safe. Both serious violence and knife crime are falling in Merseyside, but we know there is still work to do. These new powers will enable us to continue to drive down knife crime and reoffending.
"Merseyside Police is absolutely committed to targeting those who bring misery to our communities and getting knives and offensive weapons off our streets. The new powers will enable a more proactive approach for repeat offenders and will help us protect those most vulnerable from being drawn into further exploitation by criminal gangs."
Between 2019 and January 2023, Merseyside Police seized over 10,000 weapons and made over 3,000 arrests for serious violence offences. While knife crime has risen nationally in recent years, January this year marked Merseyside's lowest level of knife crime since April 2020.
However, conversations regarding knife crime in Merseyside have been dominated by the death of 12-year-old Ava White. The schoolgirl died in November 2021 after being stabbed by a then 14-year-old with a flick knife.
The killer, whose identity was protected due to his age, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 13 years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court in July, after being found guilty of her murder by a jury.
Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: "There is never a valid reason for anyone to arm themselves with a knife and evidence shows that those who pick them up, even in self-defence, are far more likely to be harmed. Knives are a national problem. But, like many other areas, we have sadly seen the devastating consequences knife crime can have, so I strongly support the introduction of this new pilot here in Merseyside.
“It’s vital we do everything possible to prevent any more families from suffering the heart-break caused by knife crime and these new SVROs gives Merseyside Police another tool in its arsenal to tackle those who are known to hold and use these lethal weapons."
Geraldine O’Driscoll, temporary director of the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership, said: "We stand proudly behind Merseyside Police’s bold Prevention approach, of which SVROs are just one strand. As an organisation committed to educating young people about the danger of knives, a strong message that the carrying of them will not be tolerated, will help the MVRP enormously.
"Repeat offenders can have a toxic influence on our communities and any intervention that can protect young people from becoming engaged in criminal activities including County Lines drug activity is also beneficial. Overall, the message must be that we will simply not accept knife crime - and the undoubted misery it causes."
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