NEW HEAD OF THE NORTH WEST REGIONAL ORGANISED CRIME UNIT (TITAN)

THE North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (Titan) has a new face at its helm.  Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Richardson has taken up the mantle as the head of the unit from Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Leach.

Det Chf Supt Richardson, aged 49, started his career in Merseyside Police in 1990 and performed a variety of uniformed and CID roles as a constable and sergeant before he was promoted to Detective Inspector in 2001. He led the Force's stolen vehicle squad before transferring to the robbery team where he was a Senior Investigating Officer for the force-wide street crime initiative.

In 2003, following a short period with the Force Major Incident Team, he was promoted to Detective Chief Inspector in North Liverpool where he gained national accreditation as a Senior Investigating Officer, having been involved in the management of numerous major investigations including murders and improvised explosion device deployments.

In January 2007, Det Chf Supt Richardson took charge of the new Merseyside Police Crime Faculty and re-established Merseyside on the national map of investigative training.  He was promoted to the rank of Detective Superintendent in January 2008, and was later posted to the Matrix team as the investigative and operational lead.

Most recently he has developed and implemented the organised crime group mapping strategy for Merseyside Police and was the Senior Investigating Officer for Operations Newhaven and Hadley - successful investigations into serious and organised crime leading to substantial sentences being handed to the defendants.

Since the North West Regional Crime Unit (Titan) was launched 2 years ago, sentences of more than 425 years have been handed out to criminals across the region.  More than £1million of stolen goods have been recovered and Class A drugs with a street value of more than £4million have been seized. 

The unit was set up in April 2009 when the 6 regional forces - Merseyside, Lancashire, GMP, North Wales, Cumbria and Cheshire - formed a collaboration to tackle serious and organised crime across the North West.  It tackles the most serious and organised crime groups involved in drug trafficking, firearms, armed robberies, aggravated burglaries and other serious crimes.

Since its inception it has successfully tackled a number of organised crime groups resulting in 190 arrests.  Of those, 142 have been charged and 94 have been convicted and are awaiting sentence.  Among those sentenced include five Merseyside men to 47 years for armed bank robberies around England, 15 members of a Merseyside OCG received 60 years for the theft and hijacking of HGVs across the UK and eight men from Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside were jailed for 39 years for trafficking cocaine.

Det Chf Supt Richardson, said:- "Our function is to identify and dismantle those organised crime groups causing the most threat and harm across the North West of England and we will use every possible power to do that. The number of high sentences handed down to criminals since the unit's inception sends a strong message to those prepared to engage in violent and organised crime that we will find you and we will put you behind bars. The unit works hard with the six regional police forces, as well as partner agencies, to take criminals off our streets and to strip them of their ill-gotten gains. We will continue to work pro-actively to disrupt these criminals and ultimately take them off the streets to make our communities a safer place."

Bill Weightman, Chairman of Merseyside Police Authority and the North West Regional Collaboration Joint Committee, added:- "Police Authorities in the North West pooled their resources for the greater good when they agreed to fund the Regional Organised Crime Unit (Titan) 2 years ago. The recent sentences are evidence that working together across borders is working in the fight against serious and organised crime, is making our streets safer across the North West and is providing our communities with value for money. On behalf of Police Authority Chairs in the North West, I would like to congratulate all those involved in the unit on these recent successes."

BLOOD DONOR SESSIONS TO BE
HELD DURING SEPTEMBER 2011

IF you miss one of the sessions below, you can always visit the Liverpool Donor Centre located at Unit 6, 2 Moorfields - (Entrance on Dale Street), Liverpool, Monday / Thursday / Friday / Alternate Saturdays:- 8.20am until 3.30pm Tuesday / Wednesday:- 12.20pm until 7.30pm.

Thursday 1.9.11 - St Patrick’s Social Club, Common Road, NEWTON LE WILLOWS. From 2.00pm to  4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Friday 2.9.11 - St David’s Church, Rocky Lane, CHILDWALL. From 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Saturday 3.9.11 - Grosvenor Assembly Rooms, Grosvenor Street, LISCARD. From 10.00am to 12.00pm & 2.00pm to 4.15pm.

Monday 5.9.11 - Wesley Methodist Church Hall, Corporation Street, ST HELENS. From 10.00am to 12.00pm & 2.00pm to 4.15pm.

Tuesday 6.9.11 - The Foundry, Lugsdale Road, WIDNES. From 1.30pm to 3.30pm & 5.00pm to 7.00pm.

Wednesday 7.9.11 - The Victory Hall, Salacre Lane, UPTON, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Thursday 8.9.11 - All Saint’s Church Hall, Broadgreen Road, OLD SWAN, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm

Friday 9.9.11 - All Hallow’s Church Hall, 1 Greenhill Road, ALLERTON, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Monday 12.9.11 - Methodist Church Hall, Liverpool Road, BIRKDALE, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Wednesday 14.9.11 - Town Hall, Oriel Road, BOOTLE, from 10.00am to 12.00pm & 2.00pm to 4.15pm.

Thursday 15.9.11 - Civic Hall, Southport Road, ORMSKIRK, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Saturday 17.9.11 - Holy Trinity Parisdh Hall, Rosemary Lane, FORMBY, from 10.00am to 12.00pm & 2.00pm to 4.15pm.

Monday 19.9.11 - Royal British Legion, Lord Street, BURSCOUGH, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Tuesday 20.9.11 - Everton Football Club, Goodison Road, WALTON, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Wednesday 21.9.11 - Lauries Community Centre, 142 Claughton Road, BIRKENHEAD, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Thursday 22.9.11 - Fleetwood Social Club, Fylde Road, CHURCHTOWN, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Friday 23.9.11 - Civic Centre, Civic Way, BEBINGTON, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Tuesday 27.9.11 - St John Stone’s Parish Centre, 7 Sandbrook Way, AINSDALE, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Wednesday 28.9.11 - Territorial Army Centre, Aigburth Road, AIGBURTH, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Thursday 29.9.11 - Crosby Civic Hall, Crosby Road North, WATERLOO, from 2.00pm to 4.00pm & 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Friday 30.9.11 - Hoylake Community Centre, Hoyle Road, HOYLAKE, from 10.00am to 12.00pm & 2.00pm to 4.15pm.

 The Coffee Connection...

ON Tuesday, 13 September 2011, from 9.30am to 11.30am at Gourmet Coffee, formally Coffee Republic, the free networking event returns. 'The Coffee Connection' is an informal and friendly monthly business networking event that is held at the coffee house. If you attuned, you join a wide range of local businesses who are all wanting to make connections that count and build lasting business relationships... What is more, there is no charge for this event, so what are you waiting for? If that's not enough, there's also 50% off all food purchases for networkers on the day, just quote 'networker' on payment. There's really no better excuse to generate business out of the office! Email  or call:- 07008027005, if you would like more information.