West Midlands PCC backs Government knife crime crackdown

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner has welcomed new Government plans aimed at halving knife crime, saying the focus on prevention and enforcement is “exactly what’s needed.”

Simon Foster said he supports the aims of the strategy, which include diverting young people away from violence, targeting offenders and breaking the cycle of crime.

He said: “I share the aims of the plan to support our young people, stop those at risk from turning to knife crime, police our streets to punish offenders and stop offending and end the cycle of knife crime.

“I'll be working with government, policing and our violence reduction partnership to deliver on these commitments to prevent and tackle knife crime and save lives.”

The Government’s new plan sets out a combination of early intervention and tougher policing, with a focus on identifying those most at risk and increasing enforcement in hotspot areas.

Tackling knife crime remains a key priority locally, with the PCC’s own police and crime plan highlighting serious youth violence as a major issue across the region.

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