Chair says £3.5million knife crime investment is a ‘drop in the ocean’

17 May 2024

West Midlands Police Federation chair Rich Cooke described a £3.5 million Government investment to tackle knife crime as a ‘drop in the ocean’ compared to the cost of the problem.

Rich said the human, psychological, and economic impact of knife crime was enormous.

He said: “£3.5 million is a drop in the ocean compared to the scale and cost of the problem.

“Each murder and serious injury caused by knife crime has a devastating human cost, potentially fosters generational trauma, as well as having serious economic costs running into millions of pounds.

“Knife crime itself costs the country massively on all levels, but that cost is not currently matched by the investment.”

Rich was commenting after the Government announced £3.5 million funding for the research, development and evaluation of new technologies which can detect knives carried from a distance and hand-held or body-worn systems which can be operated by individual officers.

It comes during Sceptre, the national policing intensification week for knife crime led by National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

Rich said there was an element of cynicism around short-term initiatives as he called for long-term investment in the police and criminal justice system.

“While in isolation it may be good, colleagues and I see this sort of initiative and harbour a deep cynicism of any short-term initiative,” he said.

“Policing is under-resourced, hostage to the decades-long feast followed by famine approach to recruitment, investment and infrastructure,” he said.

“The criminal justice system is crumbling for the same reasons, and now we see the spectre of persistent and violent criminals being released 70 days early to ease overcrowding in prisons due to the failure to build spaces.”

He added: “The only serious approach is a commitment to wholistic long-term investment in the police and criminal justice system.

“It’s why we’ve called repeatedly for a royal commission on policing and cross-party consensus to secure sensible long-term investment.

Rich has been a vocal campaigner on knife crime, and has long called for a ban on the sale of thinly veiled marketing of weapons to those children and young people, who are vulnerable to crime and exploitation.

He renewed the call as he urged courts to get tougher on knife crime offenders.

“On the sale and supply of vicious weapons, we’ve called for a ban on online sales in addition to a cast-iron plain packaging and marketing requirement across the whole range of weapons – and there are many.

“At present, all I see is politicians shying away from the real, bold solutions required.

“Until they get real about this carnage we’ve seen on the streets will continue.”

Rich added: “All knife crime offenders should go to prison in my view, but currently, the system is so weak even 60 per cent of repeat offenders are not jailed.

“It is a farce, and it’s the ordinary public and police who bear the scars.”

Commander Stephen Clayman, national knife crime lead at NPCC, said of the Government announcement: “Tackling knife crime requires a range of tactics working with our partner organisations and understanding where policing can best add value.

“We welcome the announcement of additional investment in knife detection technology which is one of the many tools we use to keep our communities safe.”

Home Secretary James Cleverley added: “Knife crime ruins lives and recent tragedies show there’s a lot more to be done to take these dangerous weapons off our streets.

“That’s why we’re taking a joint approach and announcing further measures to tackle these heinous crimes.

“No technology can replace the presence of officers on our streets, but as criminals develop new strategies towards crime, so must we.

“New technologies are already revolutionising how we fight crime and we are going even further to give police the solutions they need to keep us safe.”