Merseyside has shown what it means to come together in solidarity, even when it is shocked to the very core, the Chief Constable has said.
Whether the challenges brought on by covid, the terror attack on the Women's Hospital or the death of 12-year-old Ava White, Merseyside communities have shown what it means to come together. The last year has been anything but easy, but Merseyside Police force has a "Scouse pride" and continues to "work hard" with communities to keep people safe.
Looking back at the last 12 months in her role, Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy spoke to the ECHO about the challenges the force has faced. Ms Kennedy's top priorities are tackling serious organised crime, violence against women and girls, community engagement, inclusion, well-being and prevention and she said she aims to "enhance" that work.
READ MORE: Mum's horror as video of crash that killed her daughter is shared online
Back in November last year, Merseyside Police officers worked in partnership with blue light services in their rapid response to a terror attack in Liverpool on Remembrance Sunday. Ms Kennedy said while it is "terrible to have a suicide bombing here in Liverpool, there is pride in the way the incident was dealt with".
Emergency services were on scene within minutes and actions taken, but the emergency response was not the only thing to be proud of. The police boss added: "The way in which the community stood together very quickly after sent a very clear statement that we wouldn't tolerate terrorism and hate crime in the region. I was really proud of the way communities stood together with partners."
Similarly, the city region once again stood in solidarity after the news 12-year-old Ava White had been killed on the streets in Liverpool following a city centre attack. The 12-year-old suffered a single stab wound to the neck, Ms Kennedy said: "It rocked the core of the region, it shocked partnerships and the response to that, that real commitment we need.
"It renewed a commitment to myself, the team and communities to make sure we carry on educating around knife crime. When a 12-year-old dies on the streets is sends that message we've not solved the issue and we need to carry on with that being a priority."
Ms Kennedy said the force is "judged by the government" on the number of people aged under 25 admitted to A&E with knife wounds as well as those engaging in knife crime, both of which have "fallen" in the region as the force works in partnership in communities to educate and prevent violent crime.
Back in April 2021, history was made when Serena Kennedy became the force's first female chief constable. The experienced police chief, who is from Ormskirk, joined the force as an assistant chief constable having previously worked at Greater Manchester Police and Cheshire Police.
Despite public confidence in police forces decreasing nationally due to events such as the murder of Sarah Everard, the killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement, Ms Kennedy said there remains "higher rates of confidence" here in Merseyside as officers "work hard to achieve that". She added that she hopes the force will continue to be one of the "best performing in the country" as the organisation moves forward.
There has however been a slight increase in terms of the number of reported assaults against police officers. It comes after a police officer suffered injuries to their hands and face in a suspected assault, but Ms Kennedy said these are "few and far between" and on the whole, communities are "supportive" of the work officers do as they are treated with "respect and dignity".
However the police boss opened up about some of the more enjoyable highlights the last 12 months have brought her, from visiting her old primary school to patrolling the streets with her staff. She said: "The opening of the police headquarters with the Earl of Wessex last month was amazing, a real celebration. It was a moment in history for Merseyside Police."
Rose Hill brings more than 1,100 officers and police staff together under one roof on a key gateway into the city centre, overlooking Scotland Road and the Kingsway tunnel. She added: "Seeing the difference you are making to people's lives is fantastic. That's ultimately why I wanted to join the police and to see that in action as chief constable is really rewarding."
The chief constable was brought into post amidst the covid restrictions which was "challenging" in itself due to the constant changing in legislation. Taking on a stance to engage, explain, encourage and then enforce, the force worked around the clock to ensure they were up to date with any changes and could aid communities. Ms Kennedy added: "We got it right on the main but when we got it wrong we held our hands up and said sorry."
She went on to say: "We saw some reductions in obvious crime types like burglaries and shoplifting because people were at home, shops weren't open. Equally if people were out and about intent on committing crime, they stuck out like a sore thumb so our stop search levels increased.
"We saw a reduction in firearm discharges, not linked to lockdown because all other forces saw an increase. We had high levels of proactivity and lots of community reassurance. We did see a spike in cyber crime because more people are at home, that spike has been seen nationally."
Ms Kennedy told the ECHO that every day is different for staff at Merseyside Police and despite officers having to make "difficult decisions", they put the "needs of the community first". She added that there is a "Scouse pride" amongst the force as everyone feels they are "making a difference", from dog handlers, cleaners and frontline officers, everyone has a part to play.
With the increase in popularity around policing dramas, Ms Kennedy said there are more roles available than meets the eye, some of which were not even thought of when she joined 28 years ago. She told the ECHO: "That's the exciting thing about policing. That and the challenges of what we deal with every day. We are part of one big team, putting the needs of the community first and that's a brilliant thing to be part of."
Looking ahead to the next 12 months, Merseyside Police has already recruited its 660 officers ahead of the March 2023 date, as part of the governments scheme to ramp up forces across the UK. Despite losing 1,000 officers due to austerity, Ms Kennedy said the force is now seeing levels seen back in 2011 which communities will soon start to see.
She said: "It's been a really good 12 months. I'm really proud to be the chief constable of Merseyside Police, we've got a brilliant workforce, brilliant staff who are proud to work for Merseyside and are really invested in putting communities first."
