The Prime Minister will today (Wednesday 31st August)
join new police officers working on the frontline to make our
streets safer.
After joining on operations, he will speak to officers from one
of the 20 Violence Reduction Units set up by this government and
see first hand the work they are doing to prevent crime in the
community by intervening earlier and working closely with health
and education partners.
His visit comes as new Home Office figures will show a 90%
satisfaction rate among new recruits brought in under the
government’s recruitment drive, with almost 80% reporting that
the job met or exceeded their expectations.
So far, over 13,790 extra police officers have been hired across
England and Wales as part of the manifesto commitment to put
20,000 additional officers on our streets.
Prime Minister said:
“Making our streets safer has always been central to my
mission to level up this country, because everyone should have
the security, confidence and opportunity that
comes from having a safe street and a safe home, wherever they
live.
“We are cracking down on vile gangs and putting dangerous
offenders behind bars for longer - and at the heart of these
efforts are the 20,000 new officers who will be out on the
streets providing the firepower for years to
come in the fight against crime.”
Located in the areas hardest hit by violent crime, Violence
Reduction Units bring together key local partners, including
health, education and policing organisations, to target the
underlying causes of violence and prevent children and young
people being exploited by criminal gangs – helping rid
communities of the long lasting impacts of violent crime.
Backed by £170m of government funding and combined with targeted
enforcement activity, they have prevented over 49,000 violent
offences in their first two years, and supported over 260,000
vulnerable young people in their second year alone.
Since 2019 the police have removed over 72,000 knives and
dangerous weapons through stop and search, surrender programmes
and other targeted police action.
The government has also significantly stepped up action against
county lines gangs and launched a first of its kind Drug Strategy
- backed by record investment - to deliver a whole system
approach to tackling supply and demand. Since
November 2019, more than 2,400 drug dealing lines have been shut
down, 8,000 arrests made, and supported over 9,500 individuals at
risk of exploitation.
The government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which
passed into law last year, equips the police with the powers and
tools they need to crack down on crime, including through lifting
restrictions on stop and search and introducing new court orders
to help target known knife carriers.
The Act has also brought in tougher sentences to keep serious
sexual and violent offenders behind bars for longer, so that they
pay the full price of their crimes.
