Diving teams have been seen scouring the canals in St Helens looking for weapons and other illicit items.
Yesterday, May 13, saw targeted activity take place across St Helens town centre as part of Operation Vermont - an operation involving teams and resources from across the force tackling serious and violent crime.
As part of the activity, St Helens Police called on the services of North West Police Underwater Search and Marine Unit who conducted an underwater search of part of the canal network.
The team help locate items which may have been disposed of by criminals which could provide Merseyside Police with vital evidence.
A gully sucker was also deployed to the area to help recover weapons and drugs which may have been disposed of down drains and located two knives.
In a thread on Twitter, St Helens Police said: "You may have seen some targeted activity taking place across St Helens town centre today. This activity has been part of #OpVermont - a operation involving teams and resources from across the force tackling serious and violent crime. #SaferStHelens
"Officers on quad bikes were deployed to the town centre. These bikes give us an advantage in our work to tackle off-road bikes that are a nuisance to our communities.
"Working with St Helens Council we were also able to deploy a gully sucker, which helps us to recover weapons and drugs which may have been disposed of down drains. Whilst not a threat to the public, they could provide us with vital evidence.
"We also conducted open land searches, which can lead to the recovery of weapons and drugs which criminals sometimes cache for later. We conduct these regularly to ensure that there's no hiding place for such items.
"We also called on the services of North West Police Underwater Search and Marine Unit who conducted an underwater search of part of the canal network. These divers help us to locate items which may have been disposed of by criminals which could provide us with vital evidence.
"We were also able to call on some help from our four legged friends at Merseyside Police Mounted- PH Beau and PH Oxberry conducted a patrol of the town centre. Our horses not only provide reassurance to our communities, but they also give us a great vantage point.
"Working with Cheshire Police to prevent criminals crossing county borders is also part of our efforts to make a #SaferStHelens. By working together we can ensure that serious violent crime is being tackled in our community."
The gully sucker managed to locate two knives, with a further two located earlier in the week handed in to officers.
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In a video on social media, Inspector Rob Budden, from St Helens Targeted Policing Team said: "Op Vermont is about using a variety of innovative tactics to combat serious criminality within St Helens.
"A big thanks to all our partners. They include the Cheshire Police Force, with regards to some cross border operations that we're doing, the Underwater Search Team, the Mounted Section.
"We're also working closely with St Helens Council who have provided some vehicles to enable us to do more detailed searching of the town centre in relation to weapons and evidence.
"We're using a number of different tactics. The Underwater Search Team, searching the canal for weapons and evidence. The Mounted Section out, which is combatting disorder in the town centre and quad bikes being used as part of our Op Brookdale response to anti-social use of bikes."
If you have any information that can help tackle violent crime, you can get in touch via @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111, or contact @MerPolCC
