AGENCIES are advising Kent Police on how to best tackle violent crime after a large rise in the number of incidents reported.
Since 2014, the number of violent crimes reported has risen from 2,541 to 5,683 in 2017 across the county. The figure is on the rise again with 6,822 having been reported before the end of June.
Police and Crime Commissioner [PCC] Matthew Scott hosted a conference with 20 organisations last week to discuss his Violence Reduction Challenge.
At the meeting in Kings Hill the groups, which included charities, care organisations and other emergency services, agreed to work closer together.
A number of ideas were proposed at the meeting, but an overall solution was not decided, with further meetings to come.
Mr Scott said: ‘We can say ‘we will spend money here’ or ‘we will copy that model we’ve seen there’ but there’s no point if we don’t know if the scheme will be effective here in Kent.’
There is set to be a plan of action drawn up in the next few months.
