Crime in Blackbrook, St. Helens

Following the recent force restructure and the arrival of new officers at Newton‑le‑Willows station, neighbourhood staff have focused on understanding the scale of drug‑related issues in Blackbrook. Early work has centred on intelligence gathering, with officers carrying out targeted patrols, noting hotspots, and recording information on suspected activity.
Officers have engaged with residents, businesses, and partners to build local knowledge and encourage reporting. Initial partnership work with housing and local authority teams has helped identify key addresses and vulnerable individuals.

Officers have conducted high visible patrols in the area and identified a male begging aggressively at the location and issued him with a community protection warning notice to deter future behaviour. Intelligence development and partnership working is ongoing in relation to drug dealing in the area.

From community feedback we are aware of a number of issues within the ward regarding drug use. We are working closely with partners to address these issues. Officers have conducted street surveys particularly in the Ashurst Estate to gather intelligence and gain a better understanding of the issues, they have conducted joint visits with council and housing partners and currently looking at enforcement options and escalation processes to tackle the issue. Officers have attended local schools advising young people on behaviour an respect their area and others.

In response to ASB and fires being lit on the field the local policing team have been working with partners to combat the issue, educate and divert young people away from this behaviour
We raised concerns via our multi-agency threat, harm and risk meeting, conducted partnership work at the Chain Lane shops with the council and MFRS looking to enforce health and safety protocols with regards to the landlord of the shops securing bins at the location to prevent further fires.
We have provided a visible presence conducting surveys to gain a better understanding of the issues, utilised the mobile police station, visited local schools with fire reduction officers to educate young people on the risks and advised shop owners of the sale of items such as eggs, used to cause ASB and criminal damage.
The Merseyside Fire Street Intervention Team regularly attended the area to engage with young people and divert them to sports clubs and youth clubs in the area.
Due to the continued partnership work Merseyside Fire have seen a reduction in the number of fires in this area, highlighting the effectiveness of partnership work.