APCC response to Home Secretary's speech on tackling serious violence
Following the Home Secretary’s speech today setting out the Government’s approach to tackling serious violence, APCC Chair and Serious Violence Lead, Mark Burns-Williamson PCC, said:
“The Home Secretary’s reiteration of his commitment to prevent crime, including serious violence, through early intervention in the lives of our young people, is to be welcomed. Additional police powers and funding are important but, as he acknowledged, there is no quick fix and it is essential that those at risk can be identified and supported at the earliest opportunity.
“Police and Crime Commissioners have long advocated a whole system approach with focused and properly resourced action across a range of areas, including youth services, school and health and as local leaders we have a key role to play in co-ordinating activity and making this happen.
“PCCs will be engaging with the proposals to introduce a public health duty, but we are clear that there also needs to be an overarching Government strategy as part of the Spending Review work in which each department sets out its role and the resources needed to deliver it and there is a mechanism to hold them to account.
“We remain committed to tackling serious violence and are helping to coordinate sustainable prevention and early intervention programmes across England and Wales.”