In an effort to make our streets safer, the Prime Minister will join brand-new police officers today, Wednesday, August 31.
He will chat with officers from one of the 20 Violence Reduction Units established by this administration after participating on operations and see firsthand the work they are doing to prevent crime in the community by acting early and closely collaborating with health and education partners.
His visit coincides with the release of new Home Office data that reveals a 90% satisfaction rating among new hires hired as part of the government’s recruiting campaign, with over 80% saying the position met or surpassed their expectations.
The campaign pledge to bring 20,000 more police officers to the streets has so far resulted in the hiring of around 13,790 more officers across England and Wales.
Boris Johnson, the prime minister, said:
Making our streets safer has always been a key component of my commitment to level the playing field in this nation because, wherever they reside, everyone should have the security, confidence, and opportunities that come with having a secure street and a safe home.
The 20,000 additional cops who will be on the streets delivering the firepower in the battle against crime for years to come are at the center of our efforts to combat evil gangs and lock up dangerous criminals for longer.
Violence Reduction Units, which are located in the areas most affected by violent crime, bring together important local partners, including health, education, and law enforcement agencies, to target the root causes of violence and stop children and young people from being used as human shields by criminal gangs. This helps communities recover from the damaging effects of violent crime.
They have aided over 260,000 vulnerable young people in their second year alone and averted over 49,000 violent offenses in their first two years thanks to government financing of £170 million and focused police efforts.
Through stop and search operations, surrender initiatives, and other focused police activity, the police have taken away approximately 72,000 knives and hazardous weapons since 2019.
In order to implement a whole system strategy to attacking supply and demand, the government has also dramatically increased action against county lines gangs and developed a first-of-its-kind
Drug Strategy, supported by record funding. Since November 2019, more than 2,400 drug distribution networks have been shut down, 8,000 people have been arrested, and more than 9,500 vulnerable people have received assistance.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which was passed into law by the government last year, gives police the authority and resources they need to combat crime, including the ability to remove restrictions on stop and search operations and implement new court orders to help target known knife carriers.
To ensure that severe sexual and violent criminals pay the full price for their crimes, the Act also included stiffer terms to put them behind bars for longer.