Play part in fighting crime...

Youth crime is rarely far from the headlines, but in recent months there has been a particular focus on the issue.

Serious and growing incidents of knife crime and, in many inner city areas, the explosion of gang culture has ignited debate over how we police youths straying from the straight and narrow.

Calls for greater funding have grown louder while many point to fewer officers on the beat as a potential cause of a rise in crime.

It is not an issue that can be rescued by concentrating in one area alone.

There is no magic bullet going to address the issue.

For serious inroads to be made, everyone has to be engaged and playing a part.

It is may be a corny line, but if you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem.

Which is why are pleased to see a multi-agency approach being taken to tackle anti-social behaviour in our community.

Operation Constellate sees plain clothes officers being deployed to target teens causing bother in disorder hotspots.

Importantly, however, is they will not be operating alone. The operation is supported by councils, youth offending teams and even Metro operator Nexus.

And in a key part of the exercise, parents of teenagers are being asked to question what their children are up to.

Too many parents turn a blind-eye to what their children are up to on an evening, quite often to the detriment of the community ... and the children themselves.

Resource is an issue across the UK, but there is no limit to how big a part parents can play.

Quite simply, if you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem. Act now.