Herbert met with Warwickshire’s new chief constable, Andy Parker, and toured the Warwickshire Criminal Justice Centre at Leamington.
The Justice Centre and its counterpart in Nuneaton are unique in the UK, bringing criminal justice agencies (the police, the probation service, Her Majesty’s Courts Service, the Youth Justice Service and the Crown Prosecution Service) and victim services together under one roof.
The minister for policing and criminal justice also spent time with police officers and staff based in Leamington and visited the town centre with members of one of the force’s 33 Safer Neighbourhood Policing Teams (SNTs).
“Closer working arrangements can maximise the resources available to protect communities from harm, as well as tackle cross-border and other criminality more effectively,” explained the minister.
“British policing at its best is strongly grounded in local communities,” added Herbert, “and these arrangements maintain local governance, chief constable accountability to local communities and the identities of both forces.”
Metropolitan Police Service launches anti-weapons campaign
Young people at risk of being caught up in violence are being urged by the Metropolitan Police Service to visit the YouTube website and watch a powerful interactive film that sets out the consequences of carrying weapons.
The film, entitled ‘Choose a Different Ending’, is at the heart of the Met’s latest anti-weapons campaign which also features advertisements on targeted TV channels and radio stations, as well as a range of carefully chosen digital platforms.
The campaign has been running since Monday 21 November with the film unbranded on YouTube and with search mechanisms on MSN Messenger, Hotmail, Facebook and other channels. Officers on Boroughs who work in schools have also been supplied with a range of posters and postcards for distribution to pupils.
The campaign will run for a total of five weeks until Saturday 24 December.
The film asks viewers to make decisions in relation to various scenarios relating to knife crime and what outcome their decisions have.
It also aims to encourage the target audience (13-15-year olds) to learn more about the danger carrying a weapon can put them in and to increase public confidence and understanding of the Met’s work in tackling serious youth violence.
Targeting the minority who carry weapons
Although the majority of young people are not involved in criminal activity, the Metropolitan Police Service is determined to continue to relentlessly target the minority who do carry or use weapons.
The MPS Operation Connect Unit is also involved in tackling gang-fuelled violence through enforcement and intervention, working with local statutory and voluntary partners to help those who do want to exit the gang violence.
Commander Steve Rodhouse, lead for the MPS on serious youth violence, said: “The Met’s anti-weapons advertising campaign uses a hard-hitting interactive film to help teenagers realise they can make a positive choice to avoid getting involved in youth violence.”
Rodhouse continued: “Young people who carry weapons often tell us it’s for their own protection, but the harsh reality is that picking up a knife or gun places them more at risk of injury and death.”
He added: “Reducing youth and gang-fuelled violence is one of the Met’s top priorities, but others need to play their part in tackling this complex problem. Parents and carers of young people need to be wise to where they are, who they are with and if there are any knives missing from home.”
In conclusion, Rodhouse explained: “We want to hear from anyone with information about the carrying and use of weapons on our streets, and I would urge young people to search online for ‘Choose a Different Ending’ to find out more.”