City police in the forefront of UK's war on organized crime.

TOP police officers from all over the world have gathered in Liverpool to take on international organised crime.

The Arena and BT Convention Centre is hosting the Serious Organised Crime Conference for the second time.

Merseyside chief constable Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "This is helping to develop the networking links that we built last year.

"Criminals travel internationally to source drugs and through developing and working on the links with other forces and officers across the world we can find out what the criminals are doing abroad as well as what they're doing when they come home.

"We often know who is on the other end on the line having met colleagues from across the world- that's far better than relying on bureaucracy."

The chief constable was joined by Interpol and, Europol as well as Police Minister Vernon Coaker MP, Bill Hughes, the Director General of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and Prof John Grieve of the John Grieve Centre for Policing and Community Safety.

Other delegates travelled from Albania, Canada, Australia and the USA.

Meeting Prof Grieve also helped Mr Hogan-Howe unravel the secrets behind a World War II montage which has been hanging in his office for years.

The chief constable bought the piece of art at auction and later discovered it had been created by Prof Grieve.

CAPTION(S):

SOLUTION: John Grieve and Bernard Hogan Howe