A strategy to protect communities from the threat of serious and organised crime was launched in Wales on May 9, by the UK government. The Home Office Minister for National Security and Economic Crime, Ben Wallace, hosted the event in Newport alongside representatives from the Welsh government and Welsh law enforcement.
Wallace said: “I see right across the national security threat picture for the UK – terrorism, espionage, hostile threat activity and corruption. Any one of these is enough to keep you awake at night, but there is nothing that compares to the scale and harm of today’s serious and organised crime. Serious and organised crime is the most damaging, and deadliest, national security threat we face in the UK. It affects us all. High-level criminals operate right across Wales – they are active just as much in rural villages as they are in our cities.
“It is essential that we continue to invest in such works as the Newport Community Coordinators. That is why we were ambitious with this pilot, and, seeing the successes here, are continuing to invest in the programme. It is only by working together that we can be successful.”
Meanwhile Home Office Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerabilities Minister, Victoria Atkins was near Darlington, at an event with the Police and Crime Commissioners for Durham, Cleveland and Northumbria; Ron Hogg, Barry Coppinger and Dame Vera Baird QC; and police, health, education, social services, youth offending services, housing, local authorities and charities. She said: “Every day, violence is claiming lives on our streets and within communities right across the country. The need to tackle this issue could not be more immediate, or the impact on families and communities more real.
“While tough law enforcement is essential, it is also important to find long term solutions, particularly to tackle the root causes of serious violence.”
It follows the first meeting of a ministerial Taskforce on Serious Youth Violence, chaired by Prime Minister Theresa May in Downing Street.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid allocated police forces the final part of a dedicated £100m fund to tackle serious violence, announced in the March Spring Statement; £12.4m will be distributed to 18 forces dealing with high levels of violent crime. It comes after £51m was announced for the forces ahead of Easter for additional officer deployments, improved intelligence, and short-term operational actions such as targeting habitual knife carriers. The largest single grant, £20.84m was to the Metropolitan Police.
