Tackling knife crime

SIR – The Government’s knife crime strategy is at best muddled and at worst flawed. As a retired police officer, I know that there are many complex issues behind youth violence.

The police do not need more powers; what is required is more officers to use the adequate powers at their disposal – without political interference. More than 22,000 police officers have been lost since Theresa May entered government.

The police should not be expected to arrest their way out of this problem, however. Holding agencies accountable for not noticing warning signals oversimplifies the issue. It also abrogates the responsibilities of parents or carers, and may encourage schools to exclude more pupils, which can also encourage youth violence. Clifford Baxter

Wareham, Dorset

SIR – I am sick and tired of hearing that we “can’t arrest our way out of knife crime” and that it’s time to “restore police powers”.

First, we most definitely can stop criminals carrying and using knives on the streets by targeting and arresting them. The problem is the toothless nature of the courts, which refuse to imprison offenders.

Secondly, police officers such as myself already have the powers to stop, search, detain and arrest. Frustratingly, however, time and again the public’s wish for us to do just that has been blocked by both politicians and senior police officers.

Years ago, my father wrote: “In my 23 years as a police officer I have served under seven commissioners, all of whom were conspicuous in their mediocrity.” It looks like he and I have another thing in common. Simon Crowley

Kemsing, Kent