In a bid to put an end to violent crime, Sunderland City Centre will become the first to benefit from a new team clamping down on known offenders, thanks to funding from the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit.  

This comes as a last chance for those causing significant harm in the city centre, where anti-social behaviour has escalated into violent crime.  

The team have hit the ground running with the first cohort of young people identified, including those who have been attributing to the rise in serious violence in the city centre, leaving a negative impact on residents, businesses and communities.  

Those identified will receive intensive intervention from the violence reduction team to deter them from crime, and where they do not engage, a range of enforcement actions will be taken, along with the support of uniformed officers, to provide some much needed respite for the city.   

Based at a city centre location, the new team will disrupt violent crime by bringing together dedicated officers from Northumbria Police, Sunderland City Council ASB officers, neighbourhood wardens, and key specialists for drugs and alcohol as well as environmental services. 

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness said: “Our city centres are something to be proud of, they offer us everything we need on our doorstep. But, we also want them to be a safe place to live, work and visit – there is no place for violent crime. This new initiative, funded by the Violence Reduction Unit, offers a last chance opportunity for individuals causing serious harm in the city centre, and our message to them is clear – engage or there will be significant consequences.” 

She added: “We all have a right to feel safe, and I hope that this increased action and presence in the area will provide some reassurance to residents and businesses that we will continue to do all we can to prevent crime from happening.” 

For more information, please contact the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit by email vru@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk  

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Vanessa Jardine is set to lead Northumbria Police’s fight against crime in Spring 2023. She is currently Deputy Chief Constable at West Midlands Police and will take up her new post following confirmation by a special Police and Crime Panel on December 13^th.

Northumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner picked Vanessa as the officer to replace Winton Keenen after hearing how the highly experienced police officer intends to deliver on plans to fight and prevent crime across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear.

Kim said: “When I speak to the public they tell me they want to see a force that can fight crime and prevent crime, and I am confident that Vanessa is the ideal person to continue Northumbria Police’s great work towards that aim.

“Our region is a safe one but crime is constantly evolving and we need to be ready for the challenges that brings.

“That’s why I’m delighted to have an officer with Vanessa’s vast experience joining our force.

“Our region faces great challenges in the years ahead, with economic hardship, austerity and the ongoing cost of living crisis set to push more families into difficulties and more young people put at risk of gangs and criminality.

“I know Vanessa is geared up for this challenge and I look forward to working with her on securing a great future for our region.”

Vanessa has been a police officer for over 28 years. Before joining West Midlands Police she worked at Greater Manchester Police where she served as a detective at every rank and the head of Public Protection. She was the force lead for domestic abuse, child protection and child sexual exploitation.

Vanessa was appointed from a shortlist of three following interviews held on December 2^nd.

The interview process itself was spread over two days, where all three candidates presented to stakeholders and staff panels and were then questioned by them on the first day, before then being interviewed by the Commissioner’s selection panel on the second day.

Winton Keenen will remain as chief constable in the interim period while Vanessa prepares to take up post.

STUDENT Support champions will be on hand in schools across Newcastle, as Police Commissioner Kim McGuinness funds a new Violence Reduction Unit initiative in a bid to drive down youth violence and knife crime across the region.

The new project launches following what has been a tragic few months for Tyneside, where the lives of two 14 year olds have been unnecessarily cut short as a result of youth violence.

Now, as part of major plans from the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit, eight secondary schools will become the first to benefit from having student champions on hand to offer support on local youth violence issues.

As well as working with young people, including those believed to be at risk or involved in violent crime, the student champions will work closely with schools, police, council and community services, to prevent crime from happening.

The champions will be working with individuals and small groups, with the focus of the new roles being on building trusted relationships to encourage young people to seek support.

Young people will also take part in educational sessions covering the dangers of knife crime, how to keep themselves safe, and the consequences of violent crime.

The project aims to improve school attendance and behaviour, reduce suspensions and exclusions, strengthen community links and prevent serious youth violence.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness said “Education is a key component in our fight against crime, that’s why it’s so important to engage young people at the earliest opportunity. The Violence Reduction Unit is committed to stopping the cycle of criminality and already has a dedicated team delivering vital awareness sessions to schools and community groups all year round, but this new project will take it a step further by giving young people access to a trusted adult in their own school, on a regular basis. The team will be able to identify young people in need of support, work with them to understand their needs and refer them to services and interventions to provide help for them and their families.”

She added, “By giving young people access to information, support and opportunities, we can improve their lives, enable them to have positive aspirations for the future and divert them from a life of crime.”

For more information, please contact the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit by email vru@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk

Working hard to keep our communities on the right track.

Dedicated officers have stepped up their activity to tackle antisocial behaviour and disorder across our town centres and transport hubs – with help from their partners.

On Friday, uniformed officers from Northumbria Police’s Neighbourhood Team and Operations Department stepped out with partners from Nexus, operator of the Tyne and Wear Metro, and Trinity Square to carry out additional patrols and ride the rails between Gateshead Interchange and Pelaw Metro Stations.

Taking place from 2pm to 10pm, the activity saw the team engage with shoppers in and around Trinity Square, as well as passengers and commuters – listening to concerns and feedback as well as monitoring the area for any antisocial and suspicious activity as well as escalating behaviour.

The activity, which was funded by the Violence Reduction Unit and co-ordinated with the help of Gateshead Council, will run for eight weeks and aims to help reduce crime and prevent disorder.

Praising the partnership approach to tackling disorder, and ensuring public spaces thrive, Neighbourhood Inspector Kevin Ashurst of Northumbria Police said: “Gateshead town centre is a bustling hub with many commuters and visitors passing through every day. It’s vital they are able to go about their business safely and in the knowledge that should they need us, we’re there.

“These patrols are an extension of the activity we regularly carry out, but they see us working in a more targeted and visible way, at those busy times when the public need us most – and with the added bonus of our partners accompanying us and sharing their expertise.

“While it’s only a small majority of people who cause disorder in our transport hubs and towns, we know that it can have a significant knock-on effect to those using the services and spending time in those affected places.

“This is why we will continue to have extra officers in and around Gateshead town centre throughout these coming winter months – so they can tackle disorder head-on listen to any concerns people might have.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “Thanks to the success over the summer, we know that this targeted action does work. However, stopping there was not an option. We need to continue engaging young people and identifying those causing serious disruption in our communities – we will not tolerate their harmful behaviour. That’s why the Violence Reduction Unit have invested further in this crucial work. We need to understand the underlying causes and work with these individuals to deter them from crime – and for those who do not engage in our interventions, there are likely to be consequences.” 

She added: “No-one should ever become a victim of crime but sadly we know that it does happen – that’s why the more we work together and invest in prevention, the stronger our position will be in the fight against crime.”

Metro Operations Director, John Alexander, said: “We continue to work in co-operation with the police and other stakeholders to deal with anti-social behaviour when it occurs on Metro.

“These extra patrols will be of great reassurance to the law-abiding majority of people who pay for their travel and don’t want to put up with a minority who cause trouble.

“The extra policing and other measures we have put in place has helped to halve the levels of anti-social behaviour on Metro since the spring.

“Not only does Nexus invest in policing on Metro, we are also putting £3m into a security team to patrol the network on a permanent basis. We have invested £4m in improved CCTV, and all of our frontline staff wear body cameras.

“Anyone who causes trouble on Metro is likely to get caught and face prosecution, fines, and even a possible ban from using the system.”

To report suspicious behaviour, please use the Tell us Something page on the Northumbria Police website.

TOUGH new guidelines for sentencing business operators convicted of selling blades to children have been backed by Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness.

Two local families left devastated by knife crime have supported Kim’s views as part of their ongoing campaigning to end violence. Her comments have been made as part of a national consultation on the sale of knives to persons under 18.

Young mum Samantha Madgin was stabbed to death in Wallsend in 2007, and teenager Connor Brown’s life was tragically cut short on a night out in Sunderland City Centre in 2019.

Both families set up their own charities Samantha’s Legacy and The Connor Brown Trust to help raise awareness of the dangers of carrying knives and to offer support to other victims of such crimes.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “The very idea that some young people, up and down the country, are choosing to arm themselves with knives is a concern to us all. It’s only right that we focus efforts on who is selling them and how this is being punished. How are blades ending up in the hands of children?

“Retailers must recognise their responsibility to help keep communities safe and the role they can play in taking knives and other weapons off our streets. The less knives out there in pockets, the more lives we save.

“Every police officer will tell you that knife crime is not a problem we can arrest our way out of. Education plays such a crucial part in the fight against serious violence and the sale of these knives needs to also be a national priority.

“Clear guidance and tough punishments are much needed, particularly for larger retailers as evidence shows that it is these larger organisations who have been responsible for most sales. And so, I’ve welcomed the opportunity to respond to this consultation on behalf of the North East. We’re one of the safest regions. And, thankfully, we have lower levels of knife crime than many comparative areas. But we have had our share of horrific cases – tragic reminders that knife crime is real and that we must do everything we can to fight this crime.”

Carly Barrett, Samantha’s sister from Samantha’s Legacy, said: “Retail stores should never sell knives or any bladed articles that could cause harm when the buyer is under-age. We think this campaign is vital to today’s society as we see more and more victims of serious violent Crime. However, some retails stores, supermarkets etc should be provided with some basic training so they are able to identity those they believe are buying these knives to cause harm.”

Samantha’s mum Alison, Madgin, added: “It is not just about the age of those buying the knives but also identifying the people that could cause harm to others. We hope to see an increase in this law and see more support around this. Together we can all make a difference and help support this knife crime pandemic and ultimately save lives.”

Connor Brown’s mum Tanya Brown who set up the Connor Brown Trust, said: “The team behind the Connor Brown Trust are guided by the strength of the community and it is the community we want to protect from knife crime. We need everyone to be aware of the dangers of young people carrying knives, so we need to address the sale of knives to these young people.  message to all retailers is to think carefully as to whether you need to stock knives in general and who will be purchasing these knives, as well as what measures are in place to ensure knives are sold responsibly. Our youth today is our future tomorrow and we need to protect them.”

Northumbria Police carries out a large range of operations to tackle knife crime and the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit is at heart of knife crime awareness raising work throughout the region.

More information on the Sentencing Council’s national consultation can be found here.

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Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness has announced £220,000 worth of interventions will be rolled out by her Violence Reduction Unit as part of plans to fight and prevent crime this winter.

As part of determined efforts to prevent serious violence in the North-East, the Violence Reduction Unit has drawn up a programme of work which includes targeted interventions and activities to tackle the root causes of crime.

Plans will focus on working with those causing the most disruption in communities and will aim to divert them away from crime with positive opportunities.

The Violence Reduction Unit successfully ramped up activity over the summer in a bid to stop spikes in violence and keep people safe. This involved more patrols and more youth workers engaging with young people over the Jubilee weekend and at iconic events such as the famous Newcastle Hoppings.

Although serious violence has been on the rise this year, levels dropped by 12.2% in August thanks to targeted interventions, more youth workers and diversionary activities for young people, reinforcing the Violence Reduction Unit’s approach of working closely with partners such as Police, local councils and youth organisations, to prevent crime from happening.

The impact of this work has led to identifying perpetrators as well as young people at risk of becoming involved in crime and preventing anti-social behaviour to help communities feel safer.

Chairing the Violence Reduction Unit’s quarterly strategic board meeting this month, PCC Kim McGuinness welcomed the plans outlined to mitigate a rise in serious violence over the winter months. At the board, the following preventative measures were agreed:

• Targeted programmes in place to identify and work with individuals causing the most significant harm in Newcastle and Gateshead.
• A team to be operational in Newcastle, engaging with young people, as well as having a specific focus on key events throughout the winter months.
• Gateshead will continue to have police patrols in identified areas as well as targeted activities to engage young people around key dates. A community safety team will also focus on adult-related ASB and alcohol-related domestic abuse.
• In North Tyneside, young people will be engaged in activities that divert them from crime as well as signposting support. Plain-clothes police operations will also take place to address peer group violence and the carrying of knives.
• Patrols, outreach work and activities to be delivered in hotspot areas by a dedicated team in South Tyneside.
• A team will be deployed in identified areas of Northumberland, to engage with young people, as well as in developing projects to improve environments.
• Sunderland will expand on the work delivered in the summer, with further activity to take place as part of its city-wide operational plans for the darker nights.

All staff involved in delivering this crucial work are required to undertake the Violence Reduction Unit’s knife crime awareness training, aimed at giving professionals a better understanding of the factors that can increase a person’s vulnerability to becoming both a perpetrator and a victim of knife crime.

The session covers why young people might carry a knife, the consequences of doing so and the law as well as signposting additional information and support.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “There has been lots of targeted work taking place over the summer with positive results but we can’t stop there. There is always so much more that could be done, more kids to engage with, more lives to change.

“With the darker nights arriving, lots of events set to take place and more people planning nights out, it makes it all the more important for the Violence Reduction Unit to work with those causing the most disruption in our communities and deter them from crime at the earliest opportunity. Our approach aims to educate young people with a focus on early intervention; however, we will not tolerate violence in our communities and for those who do not engage in our interventions, there are likely to be consequences.”

She added: “No-one should ever become a victim of crime but sadly we know that it does happen. So, whether you live or work in this fantastic region or are simply visiting to experience all it has to offer over the winter period, I want you to feel safe when doing so. The more we can invest in prevention, the stronger our position will be in the fight against crime.”

For more information about the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit, visit the website.

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