£710,500 has been secured by Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner to tackle serious violence, murder, and knife crime over the next year.
The police surge funding is to support a programme of work to prevent some of the most serious types of crime and keep people safe and feeling safe from violent crime.
Over the last year police surge funding has supported Operation Edge enforcement activity including uniformed patrols, intelligence led operations, weapon sweeps, knife bins and community engagement. Over 2,600 knives were taken off Lancashire streets between April and December 2020 as a result of last year’s funding.
The sum comes ahead of the introduction of a major criminal justice Bill, which will:
- Give police new stop and search powers to tackle known knife and weapons carriers.
- Place a duty on public sector bodies – including police, education and health agencies – to take a joined-up approach to addressing serious violence.
- Require local agencies to review the circumstances when an adult homicide takes place involving offensive weapons, such as knives, to ensure lessons are learnt and future deaths are prevented.
Det Ch Supt Sue Clarke, Head of Lancashire Violence Reduction Network said:
“This funding is very welcome. It will be used to enhance operational policing activity in hot spot areas across the county.
“Whilst partners on the Lancashire Violence Reduction Network are focussing on work to collectively tackle the underlying causes of violence, this funding will help us target violent offenders currently blighting communities in Lancashire.”
Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, said:
“I’m pleased to secure this funding which will support continued activity that helps tackle serious and violent crime in the county.
“Thousands of knives were removed from our streets last year as part of activity carried out through surge funding, with this further investment helping to continue tackling crime and strengthening our communities, both key priorities in my Police and Crime Plan.
“Working with individuals, diverting young people away from crime and getting knives and other weapons off our streets is exactly what we want to see and it’s crucial that all parts of our society work together to tackle in head-on and make our streets safer.”
