POLICE TOUGH ON KNIFE CRIME SAYS CHIEF CONSTABLE
October 29, 2009 11:50 AM
Following the tragic stabbing in South Molton this summer, Nick Harvey tackled Chief Constable, Stephen Otter, of Devon & Cornwall Constabulary and Claire Ward, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Ministry of Justice -asking what consideration has been given to trialing zero tolerance on knife carrying? The Police responded, "We are certainly not complacent about this issue."
Chief Constable Otter recently told Nick:
"We take this issue very seriously. The levels of knife crime are monitored by Chief Officer Group through our target to reduce serious violent crime. Our work to reduce knife related offences is a balance between robust enforcement and long term education/prevention work - primarily with young people.
"This approach has seen the numbers of offences involving firearms and bladed weapons fall by 10 per cent in the last year; from an already low base.
"I understand your wish to have tougher responses to people carrying knives. Having spoken to frontline staff I am confident that we are taking positive action when individuals are found in possession of weapons."
Nick concludes, "I await the Government's official response to these tragic events. Lessons have to be learned and implemented to prevent further loss of young lives."
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats