Urgent intervention is needed to break the “cycle of violence” driving gang-led knife crime, a police chief has warned.
Mark Shelford, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset, wants young people to be given a sense of purpose and a better stake in society, citing the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme as a good example of how to achieve such an aim.
Tory Mr Shelford, who is standing for re-election on May 2, was speaking after a spate of stabbings in both Bristol and Bath – and he suggested people were looking for a creative solution to see more young people turn their backs on gang-led knife crime.
He explained: “I believe schemes like cadets or Duke of Edinburgh are successful because they give young people a view of aspiration, ambition, and teamwork, replacing what the gangs are offering at the moment.
“Generally, people who have been excluded from school get onto the radar of the violence reduction partnership and alternative provision. My view is that is far too late.”
Mr Shelford explained: “We need to engage with young people before they get excluded so we can keep them in school and begin to reduce the cycle of violence driving this gang-led knife crime.”
He further argued that a renewed effort should be made to reach out to young people and improve their relationship with the police through programmes such as the “Mini Police”.
“Mini Police” is part of the National Volunteer Police Cadets (NVPC) programme and is aimed at children aged eight to 11.
It offers a fun and interactive way to introduce children to a positive experience of policing and to get them involved in the local community.
