Crackdown has reduced knife crime, say police
452 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AS PART OF OPERATION VENTURE
KNIFE crime across Greater Manchester fell by 15 per cent over a 12-month period, police have revealed. Operation Venture, Greater Manchester Police’s response to serious violence and knife crime, was set up in the autumn of 2022.
Now the force has revealed that since the launch, a total of 452 arrests have been made. GMP said knife crime reduced by 15 per cent between August, 2022 and August, 2023 in Greater Manchester.
Set against a national rise in levels of knife crime, it is the second reported fall in figures reported by the force, as the Manchester Evening News revealed in January that between the year ending June 2022 and the year ending June 2023, knife crime decreased by 12.5 per cent across all ages, and by 13.5 per cent for victims under the age of 25.
The force said the Venture team was dedicated to tackling violence, particularly involving younger people, with a focus on knife crime.
A spokesman said: “The team continue to organise weapon sweeps; carry out proactive patrols across hotspot areas; conduct arrests in relation to violent incidents or other relevant offences; regularly stop and search individuals; engage with the community and assist divisional response teams by responding to incidents of serious violence.”
GMP also reported the seizure of 130 weapons, including knives and firearms, and more than £250,000 in cash. “Through the work of GMP’s Operation Venture, the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit and key partners in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, national statistics highlight knife crime has reduced by 15 per cent between August 2022 to August 2023 in Greater Manchester. “With officers embedding themselves into the community it enables a heightened and more proactive response to crime. This includes regular patrols of hotspot locations identified all across the force area.” GMP said there was a 10-year strategy to prevent and reduce knife crime in place. Superintendent Caroline Hemingway said: “Since Operation Venture launched, we have seen a significant impact in not only the results recorded but the proactive work that goes into disrupting criminal activity linked to serious violence. Although we are pleased with the results, our work doesn’t stop, and we are determined to keep our communities safe by supporting districts during our regular deployments to intensify our hotspot patrols.
“We remain committed on tackling serious youth violence especially linked to knife crime.”
15% fall in knife crime since autumn of 2022, say GMP