Knife crime drops in Nottinghamshire as specialist violence reduction unit marks first anniversary

The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) was established in 2019 with support from the Home Office and the latest National Office of Statistics figures show an 11 per cent drop in knife crime in the 12 months ending June 2020.

In the same period, knife crime rose by an average of seven per cent regionally, and fell just one per cent across England and Wales.

Unit director Dave Wakelin said: "As a small central team we have already achieved a lot. We are extraordinarily proud of the positive feedback we are getting.

"Praise must go to Nottinghamshire Police for their really successful approach to knife crime. The aim of the VRU is to help make these reductions long-lasting.”

The VRU has provided targeted support to more than 900 young people and 30 families impacted by violence.

Projects include the custody mentoring scheme U-Turn, which helps people aged 16 to 26 who have been arrested for various offences to move away from crime.

Another initiative provides rapid therapeutic counselling to young people affected by serious violence in recognition that childhood experiences increase the risks of harm in adult life.

Hundreds more have been engaged through a £250,000 programme to develop young people's confidence and conflict resolution skills, while the VRU has also allocated £50,000 to groups supporting the mental wellbeing of young people during the pandemic.

The unit brings together specialists from the police, councils, health agencies, and the education sector. Its prevention work dovetails with enforcement efforts from Nottinghamshire Police's knife crime team.

Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping, who chairs the unit, said: "The VRU has had a remarkable first year and already shown the impact we can make as a society if we take time to understand young people and why they turn to violence.

"The journey may be long but with the right support people can and do change."

Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: "The VRU is a shining example of how we can work collaboratively with our communities to achieve positive outcomes.”