The Government is to invest £880,000 in a new approach to tackling serious violence, including knife crime, in Leicestershire.
The move was confirmed last night by police and crime commissioner Lord (Willy) Bach.
Lord Bach revealed that the money, from the Government’s £35m Serious Violence Fund, will support the creation of a violence reduction unit for the city and county.
The unit will bring together figures from Leicestershire Police, health, education and social services, and be one of 18 across the country.
Last year, Leicestershire Police said it had identified up to 100 people who routinely carry knives.
Mostly young men, many are thought to be members of gangs who are involved in crimes such as drug dealing and disputes with rival criminal groups.
Some have backgrounds in the care system, come from homes where they were abused or failed at school, it said.
“The money has been granted to help us establish a violence reduction unit with key partners from health, education and social services in a true multi-agency approach," Lord Bach said.
“Now we need to work together to develop our plans further as a matter of some urgency as we must present them for Home Office approval by 8 July.
“The funding has been announced after concerted efforts from our office and the police to highlight the need to tackle serious violence.
"In recent months I have met with Government ministers, raised questions in Parliament and attended numerous round-tables on the need to act and act now, to address serious violence on our streets and in our neighbourhoods.
"I am delighted to see that this effort has been successful.
“These units will manage the local response to serious violence and will see different partners working together to deter children and young people being drawn into a way of life that sees crime and violence as the norm.”
The force’s ongoing Lives Not Knives campaign aims to educate people, particularly young men, about the dangers and legal consequences of carrying knives.
The campaign, which was launched in response to a rising number of knife offences in the city and county, has also seen a number of offenders arrested and charged.
