Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping today welcomed the allocation of extra Home Office funding to tackle serious violence and knife crime across the county.
The Force is being awarded a further £540,000 – on top of the £1m announced last month – to undertake police “surge activity” to counter knife crime and violence and increase public safety in the coming months.
The extra funding has been granted to reflect increasing levels of violence in the area and hospital admissions data for sharp object injuries. It is also recognition for the tireless efforts of the force to crackdown on violence and gang crime.
Welcoming the news, Mr Tipping said: “This additional funding will allow us to step up our proactive work and use every tool at our disposal to make our public spaces safer.
“It is no secret that this cash is urgently needed. Knife-related violence has reached unprecedented levels nationally and although the problem is not specific to Nottinghamshire, the force has nevertheless responded robustly to ensure those who carry knives or commit violence are stopped in their tracks.
“This funding will ensure our officers are in the places where they are most needed to combat harm, delivering targeted patrols, intelligence-led stop and search activity and prevention work within the community. Reassuringly, this tough approach has already brought numerous arrests and charges.
“The Home Office clearly recognises our commitment to fighting knife crime and violence at all levels and this funding will certainly boost those efforts further. But while enforcement is vital to protecting our communities, it must be balanced with grassroots work within our schools to challenge unhealthy behaviour at the earliest opportunity and prevent people from seeking refuge in the wrong places.”
The funding is primarily aimed at reducing knife crimes committed against young people and will support key areas of activity including prevention and enforcement, intelligence and targeting, investigative response and equipment and technology.
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Posted on Wednesday 8th May 2019