'Tackling knife crime is not simple' – PCC doubles down on action pledge with Wolverhampton in the spotlight
Every time another parent of a youngster stabbed to death meets Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster he renews his pledge to cut knife crime in the West Midlands.
A parent of three daughters himself, the toughest part of his role is answering the questions of those who feel the most let down by the police and politicians.
He said: "Every time I meet parents of knife crime victims it brings home the visceral and catastrophic impact it has on the victim's families. When I do meet these parents, from my perspective it renews my determination for constant and unremitting action to cut knife crime."
Nearing the end of his second term the Labour politician, sets the budget and priorities of West Midlands Police, reels off a long list of policies, pilot schemes, research and new ideas implemented to try cut down the deaths, injuries and lives destroyed by knife crime.
However, stabbings keep happening, children are killing children and new families discover the ease and randomness knife crime can enter their lives.
The only silver lining of the sheer amount of stabbings in Wolverhampton is much needed resources from central Government given to the PCC to tackle "hotspots".
Wolverhampton is just one of two areas in the West Midlands to be given £1 million for a Community Initiative to Reduce Violence. It launched in April and is a collaborative effort between the Home Office, The West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership, West Midlands Police and associated partners
Commissioner Foster, who also has a national role combatting knife crime, said: "What is happening in Wolverhampton will be used to help provide data and analysis and academic studies into preventing and combatting serious violence and knife crime across the county and country."
Hotspots in Wolverhampton include Blakenhall, Wolverhampton Central, Heath Town and Ettingshall. And specialists are trying to find out why knife crime happens. We are seeing a 30 per cent reduction in serious violence when these types of resources are put into hotspots."
