'Not acceptable': Police vow to clamp down on rising tide of violence in West Midlands
Police chiefs say they will “clamp down” on violence in the wake of at least seven serious attacks in a week in the West Midlands.
The latest incident came as two teenagers were knifed outside shops in Smethwick yesterday as the lull in crime during lockdown appears to be over.
A man was stabbed to death in Great Barr on Sunday and a driver was knifed multiple times after being dragged from his car in Quarry Bank on Monday.
Other violence has included:
A man left with serious head injuries after being assaulted in Watery Lane, Walsall on June 18.
An attempted murder arrest after a double stabbing in Jews Lane, Upper Gornal, Dudley, on June 20 with a 39-year-old detained under the Mental Health Act.
West Midlands Police previously warned that young people not in school or out of work may become involved in criminality and gangs – and bosses have said they are working to keep the public safe.
West Midlands Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Waheed Saleem said a new project was being set up to help young people deal with losing out on work or school because of the coronavirus crisis.
'Ticking time bomb'
He said: "I fear that some young people, who will have missed six months in education by the time many return in September may have become involved in anti-social behaviour, criminality and gangs. This is why we need these measures in place to make sure we don’t lose a whole generation to crime because of this pandemic.
"West Midlands Police will continue to clamp down on violence and work with communities to ensure violent crime is under control and that people are kept safe."
Mr Saleem said 'A Future Generations Deal' was launched to stop the "ticking time bomb" of youth unemployment and criminality and calls for job guarantee schemes and ways of ensuring that young people can access training and education.
He added: “Recent violent incidents are very worrying for myself, the police and our communities.
“Violence is not acceptable and we are doing a lot of work to ensure the public are kept safe and that people are not drawn into violence.
“We need to make sure that young people are not becoming involved in criminality and that in the recovery from the coronavirus, this does not spiral out of control.
"That is why the police and crime commissioner launched ‘A Future Generations Deal’ to push other local and national agencies to tackle the ticking time-bomb of youth unemployment and criminality.
“That report calls for job guarantee schemes and ways of ensuring that young people can access training and education."
