Merseyside Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner together with local authorities and licensed venues, have launched Operation Halo, a new initiative designed to protect vulnerable individuals and tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Liverpool’s night-time economy.
A Strategic Threat Risk Assessment, carried out in 2023, highlighted that VAWG offences most often occur in busy nightlife areas, town centres, and locations with high footfall. These findings present a clear opportunity for policing and partners to work together to prevent harm and disrupt offenders.
Operation Halo is made up of two phases. The first phase builds on the national ‘Ask for Angela’ scheme, which allows people to discreetly seek help from staff in licensed premises. The operation aims to provide that extended support beyond the bars and clubs and Merseyside Police has worked with venues to train staff as VAWG Champions, individuals equipped to spot vulnerability, recognise offender behaviours, respond to incidents such as spiking, and preserve evidence where needed. These champions are approachable and easy to spot thanks to specially designed armbands. They’ll help anyone who feels unsafe, building a culture of safety across Liverpool’s nightlife and making the night-time economy a safer place for women and girls.
To date 150 VAWG Champions have been trained, and they include door staff, bar managers and taxi marshals.
The second phase has introduced ‘Halo Points,’ well-lit, highly visible points across the city centre. Their visibility acts as a deterrent to offenders, while ensuring those who need help can access it quickly and discreetly. Each strategically placed point will offer direct contact with emergency services via 999 and will be linked to City Watch CCTV, offering immediate reassurance and rapid intervention by VAWG champions or police officers for anyone feeling vulnerable or in distress.
Where are the Op Halo points?
There are nine Halo Points located throughout Liverpool City Centre. Their locations are listed below and include the ‘What3Words’ locations:
Concert Square area
Wood Street / Hanover Street – Sweat.Brings.Shells
Slater Street / Wood Street – Inspector.Proud.Meant
St. Peter’s Square – Forget.Friday.Storm
Seel Street (near Alcatraz) – Precautions.Actual.Spent
Slater Street / Seel Street – Logic.Grass.Vivid
Mathew Street area
Mathew Street / Stanley Street – Flats.Hosts.Corn
North John Street / Mathew Street – Stove.Spit.Oval
Stanley Street / Dale Street – Glove.Vivid.Ranges
Temple Court / Victoria Street – Comic.Solar.Fixed