Merseyside Police “will not hesitate to take action” against perpetrators who strike in a city park blighted by anti-social behaviour.
Everton Park has been hit with “endemic” vandalism issues since the turn of the year to the heartache of a volunteer group that works to maintain the site. At the end of April, a burned out motorbike and graffiti were left at the Netherfield Road area of the park after fly-tipping and damage to fences and signage was reported in February.
Friends of Everton Park (FoEP) reached out to Merseyside Police and Liverpool Council in a bid to bring the vandalism to an end. The force has now responded and said it has held “productive meetings” with partners from the local authority and City Watch to agree upgrades to the CCTV system, which already covers the park, and improvements to street lighting, to deter would-be criminals.
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A spokesperson for FoEP told the ECHO in February that the park had “endemic maintenance and vandalism issues” and “community education” was needed to change the culture around park usage. Sarah Rotherham, Merseyside Police Community Policing Inspector, said officers took a “zero-tolerance” approach to anti-social behaviour
She said: “We understand how distressing acts of mindless vandalism in our parks and green spaces can be and I want to reassure the community in Everton that we take a zero-tolerance approach to anti-social and criminal behaviour. Our officers are also committed to eradicating the harm that the illegal and anti-social use of off-road bikes cause to the communities through our Operation Brookdale.”
“Through regular high-visibility patrols and partnership working to make improvements to CCTV and street lighting, our work is ongoing to make sure that Everton Park is a green space for everyone to enjoy as we head into the summer months. Rest assured, where we receive reports of anti-social and criminal behaviour, we will not hesitate to take action.
“If you witness any such behaviour in Everton Park, please let us know so we can respond, target patrols to the relevant areas and stop criminals in their tracks.” A spokesperson for Liverpool Council said in February that the local authority was open to discussions around additional signage at the site.
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