Crackdown on violent criminals

A leading Kent police officer says the force is doing all it can to “keep our communities safe”. Superintendent Mick Gardner (pictured) was speaking as it was revealed cash totalling almost £2 million and about 800 weapons have been seized as part of an ongoing crackdown on knife and drugs crime.

Figures released earlier this year revealed violent offences involving knives had risen by a quarter between 2017/18 and 2018/19. The number of murders increased from three to eight. Supt Gardner said: “We remain committed to maintaining a robust, proactive and zero tolerance approach to knife crime.

“There can be never be any justification for anyone to carry a weapon on our streets and we will continue to use both uniformed and plain-clothes officers to maximise opportunities to detect and deter those involved in criminal activity.”

Between June 14 and December 3 this year, 1,441 people have been arrested as part of the crackdown, with officers also making 684 seizures of drugs, including significant supplies of heroin and cocaine.

Supt Gardner added: “We are determined to do all we can to keep our communities safe.

“Much of our work to tackle knife crime is also linked to identifying and arresting suspects from outside the county, who travel into Kent with the sole intention of supplying drugs and to target and exploit vulnerable people.

“I’m confident we are making it harder and harder for these people to establish a foothold and my message to them is very simple - keep away, or you will be arrested and brought before the courts.”