Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Ellis today welcomed the Home Office’s announcement unveiling plans to combat a rise in stabbings, shootings and acid attacks.
The Serious Violence Strategy is underpinned by £40 million of Home Office funding and led by a new Offensive Weapons Bill that aims to make it particularly harder for young criminals to arm themselves.
Matthew Ellis said: ‘Whilst knife crime across Staffordshire is not of the scale seen in some big cities, I am in no doubt that it is an increasing problem here too.
‘The police have an enforcement role to play, but it is understanding what motivates individuals to carry a knife, which is key to preventing it in the first place.
‘Stop and Search powers by police are an important aspect when used appropriately.
‘One of the key roles of the Safer Neighbourhood Panels, which I established two years ago and are made up of members of the public, is to examine police body-cam footage to ensure proper use of stop and search.
‘In Staffordshire that has been shown to be appropriate, meaning officers should absolutely be using it where it is right to do so.
‘The Staffordshire Youth Commission I established two years ago, decided last year to make the issue of knife crime one of their six major concerns.
‘They have now talked to over 400 young people about this and their report, including recommendations, will be finalised soon’.
Last month young people from both sides of the Atlantic discussed the dangers and potential remedies in a meeting chaired by Staffordshire’s PCC.
Members of the Staffordshire Youth Commission were joined by criminology students from US institutions Ball State University and University North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). Also taking part in the debate was Alison Cope, whose son was stabbed outside a Birmingham nightclub in 2013, and one-time convicted gang member Darryl Laycock.
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