Three murders a week
SENIOR MET POLICE OFFICER ‘VERY CONCERNED’ BY RISE IN VIOLENT CRIME
LONDON’S murder rate is up by a staggering 44% – with on average more than three people dying every single week in the capital, latest figures have revealed.
Overall, violent crime has soared from 237,774 offences in 2016/17 to 250,287 in 2017/18 , up by 5.26%.
The number of homicides committed in the same periods rose from 109 to 157. Eight of these were as a result of the appalling terror attacks that occurred last year at Westminster Bridge in March, London Bridge in June and Finsbury Park in June, Metropolitan Police said.
The capital’s police force said “detectives are working 24/7 to catch those responsible, using all resources available to them” as “any murder is one murder too many”.
Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt, responsible for Territorial Policing, said: “The Met continues to experience a very busy and challenging time against the backdrop of significant reductions in resources. I am very concerned about the rise in crime in the capital , particularly murder, violent crime and knife crime.
“My thoughts are with the victims’ families of these tragic and horrific crimes which have brought untold misery to countless people.”
Falling police officer numbers ‘may have encouraged offenders’ as violent crime rates soar
Assistant Commissioner Hewitt added: “We are strengthening local policing by bringing specialist officers closer to communities, and have increased the number of neighbourhoods officers dedicated to particular areas to engage with the public and work with them to keep them safe.”
The latest statistics also reveal that knife crime has risen yet again, from 12,115 to 14,680 offences, knife crime with injury offences are up by 5.7% (4,446 to 4,700 offences) and assault with injury has risen from 50,836 to 51,110 crimes. Police claim knife crime injuries to under-25s had “stabilised” but recorded offences have increased by another 3% although this is a smaller rise than the 24% increase in the last figures. A Violent Crime Taskforce has been put in place to tackle violent crime, weapon-enabled crime and serious criminality, according to Met Police. Officers will use a full range of tactics to identify, locate and confront streetlevel offenders, gangs and knife crime offenders. The new unit will be supported by borough officers, Trident and Area Crime Command, specialist units, and community partners. Operation Sceptre will continue to target those people known to routinely carry knives through intelligence-led operations, the increased and proper use of ‘stop and search’, community weapons sweeps and targeting the shops and markets that sell knives to children. “There are now two Dedicated Ward Officers and a dedicated PCSO in each London ward and the addition of personal mobile technology will increase their capacity for community engagement,” Assistant Commissioner Hewitt said.
“There are 442 officers that can be allocated to priority wards as additional Dedicated Ward Officers, but still dedicated to neighbourhood policing. We also have officers working with schools on youth engagement and identifying young people most in need of sup- port, intervention and diversion.”
The assistant commissioner highlighted that the Met had made record gun seizures and reduced the number of young people who are being injured in knife attacks.
“However, in the context of the murders that have been committed in our communities, we can only view these as small successes,” he added.
“We are putting more officers on the street and have launched the Violent Crime Taskforce.
“We are doubling our targeted anti-knife crime activity with hundreds more officers on visible patrols in affected communities. But despite our continued focus on reducing knife crime, prevention and diversion will always be key.
“There are complex social reasons why more young people are carrying knives and we have been absolutely clear that knife crime cannot be solved by the police alone. We also need the help and support of London’s agencies and communities who we know are behind us.”
We are doubling our targeted anti-knife crime activity with hundreds more officers on patrols