A tough action plan has been agreed between police, Gedling Borough Council and Vernon Coaker MP to tackle knife crime in Arnold after three stabbings in just two days.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, John Clarke; deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, Micheal Payne and MP for Gedling, Vernon Coaker met with the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police and senior police officers to discuss and agree how to respond to genuine concerns of local residents following the recent incidents.
An action plan was agreed at the meeting and plans include:
- Accelerating the establishment of a police base at the Council offices in Arnold
- Gedling Borough Council will invest in additional CCTV and improved lighting in and around the Arnold area
- Gedling Borough Council to invest in increased Neighbourhood Warden presence across the borough.
- Neighbourhood Wardens will be granted extra powers to approach people on the streets, they will also have access to police radios and police briefings.
- Gedling Borough Council has committed to work with Nottinghamshire Police and help fund work in schools across Gedling to educate young people about knife crime.
- The local neighbourhood policing team and Gedling Borough Council are also carrying out youth engagement work across the borough – this work will be expanded and strengthened.
The Council has now applied for funding from the recently announced Home Office community Fund to help tackle knife crime locally.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said the meeting had been very productive.
He said: “I’d like to thank the Chief Constable and his fellow police officers for attending today.
“Today’s meeting has set out some clear actions that should reassure residents that we are all doing everything we can to make our streets safer.
“We work closely with Nottingham Police and the actions agreed today will further strengthen this relationship.”
Mr Coaker has now called on The Government to ensure the area receives a fair share of this fund.
He said: “There is an urgent need for the Prime Minister and her Government to wake up to problems facing communities across the country. Government cuts to our police force have gone too far and done damage.
“I will be writing to the Home Secretary demanding additional funding for our police to focus on crime hot spot areas and more police on our streets.
“I will also be writing to the Justice Secretary demanding the courts hand out tougher sentences to anyone caught in possession of a knife. We understand from our police colleagues that all too often the courts are giving frequent chances to those caught in possession of a knife. This is simply not acceptable. The Government must introduce tougher sentences for knife crime and the courts must use them.
He added: “Arnold is a great place to live and work and our message is clear – we will not allow a small minority to spoil things for the law abiding majority.”
Nottinghamshire Police has already charged two individuals for the recent incidents – they will now be brought before the courts.
Additional officers have also increased patrols in recent days and there will be additional police officers in and around Arnold going forward.
Only in Arnold what about everywhere else?
This is becoming a very scary world we live in ,it’s about time the law changed and police had more powers.
more cctv ? as if that is some sort of a deterrent, i guess the baddies will just shout for more hoodies,