Knife crime crackdown expanded to more than 230 areas
More than 230 areas affected by knife crime are to receive additional police patrols, CCTV and early intervention work under an expanded government crackdown.
The programme will cover 27 police forces in England and Wales, with police and councils developing local plans tailored to the areas experiencing the greatest levels of knife crime.
Measures will include increased police patrols and enforcement, alongside prevention programmes aimed at young people at risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of knife crime.
The government also plans improvements to public spaces, including better lighting and redesigning areas to make it harder for weapons to be hidden.
The expansion follows figures showing that knife-enabled robberies have fallen by 23 per cent in seven forces since the 2024 general election.
The Metropolitan Police, West Midlands Police, Greater Manchester Police, West Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police, Avon and Somerset Police and British Transport Police recorded more than 3,600 fewer knife-enabled robberies over the period.
The Home Office attributed the reduction in part to better sharing of data, which has helped forces identify and arrest more offenders.
Overall knife crime has fallen by 11 per cent, acording to the government, which has set a target of halving knife crime within a decade.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government was taking the targeted approach to more than 230 areas, combining enforcement with action to address the causes of knife crime.
The announcement follows the government’s launch of the Knife Crime Concentrations Fund, which provides additional funding for areas experiencing high levels of knife crime.