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Violent crime tackled with new £1.8m cash boost

Police chiefs have received £1.8m to help tackle gangs and violent crime in the West Midlands.

Published
The cash will aim to support police tackling violent crime across the West Midlands

The chunk of money will be used keep youngsters out of the clutches of gangs and allow Redthread, a charity which offers support to young people, to roll-out its services across the region.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) David Jamieson lobbied the Government into spending the chunk of money as crime soars across the region.

Mr Jamieson said: “I have been relentlessly calling on the Government for extra funds needed to boost my fight against gang violence. I am delighted that my lobbying of government has produced results.

“My consistent pleas with the Home Secretary and Ministers on behalf of the people of the West Midlands to tackle these problems has finally paid off.

“This pot of money will allow us to do more with young people to tackle the root causes of gangs and violence."

Centre, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson with Home Secretary Sajid Javid MP, and fellow Midlands MPs after the cash pledge was made

The money is part of the Early Intervention Youth Fund, a sum of £22m made available from the Home Office to help tackle violence.

So far, £17.7m of the sum has been given to police chiefs across the country which can't be spent on police officers.

The bid for the funding was made jointly with the Community Safety Partnerships across the region, which are formed of councils, health, police and fire services.

Mr Jamieson said he would work proactively over the next two years to spend the money 'effectively' and praised the support the bid had received.

He added: "I thank the Community Safety Partnerships across the region with whom we have submitted this bid. The bid received support from some MPs who are just as committed as I am to end the serious violence that has blighted our communities in recent months and years.”

The commissioner previously announced he would invest £2m to help tackle the issue.