New 24 hour response policing hub opens at Formby Police Station

A new 24 hour response policing hub has officially opened at Formby Police Station, with the aim of helping officers reach emergency and urgent incidents more quickly while strengthening policing across Formby and the surrounding communities.

The new hub will allow response officers to be based closer to the communities they serve, enabling them to respond to incidents faster and more effectively. By reducing travel times and positioning officers more strategically, Merseyside Police says the initiative will improve flexibility during busy periods and ensure resources are deployed where they are needed most.

As well as improving emergency response times, the hub is expected to increase the visible police presence in Formby and neighbouring areas, providing reassurance to residents and helping officers build stronger relationships with the local community.

The approach has already been successfully trialled in other parts of Merseyside, including Bebington in Wirral, and follows encouraging results from an earlier pilot in Sefton.

The new hub will also strengthen partnerships with residents, Neighbourhood Watch groups and community organisations, recognising the important role they play in keeping neighbourhoods safe. Local people are encouraged to continue sharing concerns, reporting issues and highlighting what is working well in their communities to help shape local policing priorities.

Chief Inspector Jordan Quinn, of the Sefton Proactive Team, said:

“Policing works best in partnership with the community. This new hub will not only help us put officers in the right place at the right time, but also strengthen our links with residents and focus on what matters most to them.

“By positioning response teams more strategically, we can attend incidents more quickly, provide a more effective service and offer greater reassurance to the public.”

Emily Spurrell, Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, added:

“This hub will play an important role in bringing policing even closer to the people it serves. Residents regularly tell me they want to see a more visible police presence in their communities, and this new response hub in Formby is a direct answer to that.

“By positioning officers closer to where people live and work, we can strengthen the partnership between Merseyside Police and the public, improve trust and ensure communities feel safer.

“It also reflects our wider commitment to working hand in hand with communities to tackle the issues that matter most to them. By improving how and where officers operate, we are not only responding faster to incidents but also building stronger, more connected neighbourhoods where policing is visible, accessible and responsive to local needs.”

Lynne Fairclough BEM, Community Volunteer and Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator for Merseyside, is encouraging more local people to get involved in Neighbourhood Watch schemes across Formby.

She said anyone interested in volunteering or helping to establish a new scheme can receive support and guidance, helping residents play an active role in making their communities safer.

The opening of the Formby response hub represents Merseyside Police’s ongoing commitment to improving policing across Sefton. With response officers now based at Formby Police Station 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the force says it will be better placed to respond rapidly whenever members of the public need assistance.