IN his first annual report, Merseyside Chief Constable Norman Bettison has praised much of the work of Wirral's two police areas.

The report, which goes to the Police Authority and the Home Secretary, praises both the Central and North Wirral areas for their work in a number of areas.

Wirral's race relations strategy and domestic violence unit were both singled out for praise, as was Operation Yorker, which aimed to stop people selling alcohol to under-age people.

The Townsafe Partnership in Birkenhead was something that Chief Constable Bettison had mentioned in his first day in office in an interview with the Globe and he praises it again in his report.

Said Chief Constable Bettison in the report: "The Townsafe Partnership has seen success in reduced crime levels and higher detection rates."

Also mentioned in the report were Operation Pirate and Operation Granite, which led to over 90 arrests of people suspected of producing and selling drugs.

Said Chief Constable Bettison: "Every community should feel that the police care about their quality of life, that their problems will be addressed and that they are being treated fairly. People should feel safer and there should be an increase in their satisfaction with the police."

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