'Robust policing' needed to tackle knife crime, says commissioner as he unveils weapon bin

Simon Foster was in Wolverhampton's Phoenix Park to launch the bin, where people are encouraged to dump dangerous weapons to get them off the streets.

The move came as figures revealed the West Midlands force area had the worst record for knife crime in England and Wales, with 177 offences per 100,000 of the population, considerably ahead of the area with the next worst rate, Cleveland, where the figure was 159. The Metropolitan Police area came in third place, with 158 offences per 100,000.

In the year to September, 5,239 knife offences took place in the West Midlands, an increase of four per cent.

During his visit to the park, in Dudley Road, Blakenhall, Mr Foster said it was not helpful to compare one area with another, and preferred to focus on his own area rather than what was happening elsewhere.

But he said every one of those crimes had a huge impact on those affected.

"It's devastating and catastrophic for the victims' families and friends," he said.

"I will do everything in my power as Police and Crime Commissioner to hold West Midlands Police to account as we take all the action that is available to us."

Mr Foster said the weapons disposal bins were part of a wider package of measures which would be needed to bring the figure down.

"Policing in the West Midlands has been robust, and that we need to continue with that strategy," he said.

"We need to recruit more police officers, we have already recruited and additional 1,300 over the last three years.

"But we also need to invest in crime prevention and diversion, addressing the underlying causes of crime."

Mr Foster said he had overseen the introduction of 30 weapon disposal bins since being elected commissioner since 2021.

"From April to June last year, the bins have seen 660 lethal weapons taken off the streets, including knives, guns and machetes," he said.

"That's about 55 every week during that period of time, that has to be a worthwhile initiative."

He said youth workers were now employed at six hospitals across the region, as well as one at Oldbury police station who helps offer youngsters a route out of crime.