Specialist unit reducing knife crime and youth violence to expand
West Midlands Police say the unit looks to act on information and monitor hotspot areas
West Midlands Police say they're expanding a specialist unit which is helping to reduce knife crime and serious youth violence across the region.
The Project Guardian Taskforce is being boosted, will see an additional team of officers created from this month.
It will mean the taskforce is made up of five - rather than four – teams and will now consist of a total of 50 officers.
There will be an additional team based in the Black Country; meaning one will now cover Dudley and Sandwell and the other focussing on Walsall and Wolverhampton.
This is alongside two teams who cover Birmingham and another for Coventry and Solihull.
The existing four teams were funded via the Home Office but the investment in this additional team is from West Midlands Police direct.
Officers on Project Guardian adopt a range of tactics from plain-clothed operations to high visibility patrols as part of their work to prevent violence and take weapons off the streets.
They look to act on information and monitor hotspot areas.
'Makes a real difference'
Assistant Chief Constable Paul Drover said: "The taskforce makes a real difference in helping to reduce knife crime and serious youth violence.
"In the last 12 months alone, the teams have averaged almost 30,000 hours of patrols; seized more than 450 weapons and made nearly 800 arrests.
"This investment by the force means we can further increase the impact the taskforce makes and help to keep our communities safe. Tragically, we’ve all seen the consequences of someone being armed with a weapon on the streets.”
Knife crime and serious youth violence is down
It comes as recent crime figures revealed knife crime has reduced by 16 per cent and serious youth violence has fallen by more than 13 per cent in the region.
West Midlands Police say they are involved in both enforcement and education to deter young people from carrying weapons as they know the life-changing impact they can have.
They work with partners through the Violence Reduction Partnership to divert young people away from crime.
They also have officers who are in schools daily, offering support to deter youngsters from violent or criminal behaviour.
Police are calling it a 'real partnership approach' and not something which policing can do alone.
Everyone including teachers, parents and carers all have a part to play.