https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-65036979
EXCERPT: . . . Det Ch Supt Mark Kameen said extremely powerful weapons were still reaching Merseyside's criminals. "Handguns are the weapon of choice," he said, "but we are now seeing Skorpions coming into the force area. "These sub-machine guns have a huge rate of fire, they're absolutely deadly."
The force has been piloting a new strategy - Clear, Hold, Build - which it believes is already yielding positive results.
Merseyside Police also supports 60 projects - covering education, training and employment - which try to steer young people away from crime by offering better alternatives.
But Mr Geoghegan said there was not enough being done at an earlier age, starting at 10 or 11 years old, to both teach children about the negative effects of crime and violence, and the positive benefits of work and family.
Current schemes designed to help young people in danger of being sucked into a life of crime are just not working, he said... (MORE - missing details)
EXCERPT: . . . Det Ch Supt Mark Kameen said extremely powerful weapons were still reaching Merseyside's criminals. "Handguns are the weapon of choice," he said, "but we are now seeing Skorpions coming into the force area. "These sub-machine guns have a huge rate of fire, they're absolutely deadly."
The force has been piloting a new strategy - Clear, Hold, Build - which it believes is already yielding positive results.
- Clear - Acting on intelligence from the public and their own covert operations, officers remove criminals from a location through arrests and prosecutions
- Hold - Police prevent new gangs filling the vacuum
- Build - The local council, businesses and voluntary organisations pull together to create a safer and more prosperous community
Merseyside Police also supports 60 projects - covering education, training and employment - which try to steer young people away from crime by offering better alternatives.
But Mr Geoghegan said there was not enough being done at an earlier age, starting at 10 or 11 years old, to both teach children about the negative effects of crime and violence, and the positive benefits of work and family.
Current schemes designed to help young people in danger of being sucked into a life of crime are just not working, he said... (MORE - missing details)