Pupils escorted to school to ward off threat from gangs
VULNERABLE children are being escorted to and from schools to protect them from deadly gangs.
Police are working with agencies to help youngsters and their families so they do not fall prey to knives, guns and drugs.
West Midlands Police revealed details of the ‘Project Guardian’ scheme after Sekou Doucoure,
16, was killed after straying into a rival gang’s postcode.
The schoolboy was chased and stabbed to death on a petrol forecourt in Hockley last July.
The ‘serious gang member’ who inflicted the deadly blow remains on the run.
Pierre Thomas, 18, from Birmingham, and a 17-year-old youth who cannot be named, were found guilty of manslaughter and possessing a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
They have both been jailed for nine years.
Chief Inspector Richard Evans said a package of support was in place to draw other children away from gangs, including help for those walking to and from school.
He said: “Project Guardian involves us doing dedicated work in certain areas every day to try and combat the threat of serious violence and getting to communities where young people are carrying knives and trying to discourage them from doing that and explaining the consequences of that.
“There’s additional work that we do with the violence reduction partnership where we look at mentoring people who are vulnerable, or providing additional support for people walking to and from schools.”
Police added that schools, teachers, parents and carers all have a part to play in tackling gang violence.
This includes mentoring for youngsters, extra activities supported by officers and workshops around the consequences of knife crime.