Priti Patel announces £35m boost for violent crime crackdown in worst UK hotspots
2 min read
Priti Patel has unveiled a £35 million cash boost to tackle violent crime across the worst-affected areas in the country.
The Home Secretary announced the multi-million-pound pot will be split over 18 hotspots to allow specialist violence reduction units to continue their work in confronting serious crime.
The initiative, where police, local government, health and community figures collaborate to tackle violence and its root causes, was first set up in August 2019.
But fresh funding will mean Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) can continue the programme for 2020/2021, with London’s Metropolitan Police receiving the biggest cash injection at £7m.
A further £3.3m will be granted in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire, while areas such as Nottinghamshire, Sussex and South Wales will get £880,000 per force.
Ms Patel said: "I will not tolerate criminals drawing vulnerable young people into a life of violence.
"These units are already playing a vital role in diverting young people away from crime - and the funding I have announced today will allow them to continue this important work."
The announcement comes fater the Government pledged to recruit 20,000 new police officers and introduce tougher sentences for serious offenders.
A total 47,000 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument were recorded by police in England and Wales in the year up to March 2019.
Nottinghamshire PCC Paddy Tipping welcomed the new funding round as a way to “embed and build” on existing projects, adding: “This funding will provide security for our ambitions for the future."
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