Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police: "terrible year for Reading"
John Campbell has been speaking to us about the knife crime in the town that has claimed three lives in the first six weeks of 2021
Last updated 23rd Feb 2021
The Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police has been speaking to us about what he describes as a "terrible year for Reading".
He wasn't just referring to the three murders in the first six weeks of 2021 but also looking back on last summer's Forbury Gardens terrrorist attack in which three people died.
In all its six people people who've lost their lives through knife crime in less than 12 months.
But Mr Campbell says "in general terms knife crime is down across the Thames Valley as is violence with injury but sometimes that gets lost in some of the higher profile incidents.
Speaking about the three murders this year he added: "Three murders in the space of six weeks in any community is a significant concern. The local Police area commander is working hard and has been working hard with local community members reassuring them to try and get some normality back. This is on the back of course of the terrorist attack in Forbury Gardens, so a terrible year for Reading no doubt about it."
We then offered the Chief Constable an opportunity to address Reading people directly after what's been a violent start to the year:
"We are your Police, the Police of Reading are your sons and daughters your friends and your family and many of them live and work in Reading and just beyond so they have a passionate desire to keep everyone safe. We will always seek justice for the victims of these terrible crimes and we will continue to do what we can to reduce the prevalence of knife and violent attacks within the town".
Since the murders this year Police have used nearly twenty 'Section 60 orders' giving themselves enhanced stop and search powers, in 2019 and 2020 only two section 60s had been used in the town.