Yahoo News 'We need to accept that they are here and tackle that': New Northumbria Police Commissioner on chance to stop street gangs in North East
Street gangs must be stopped before they get hold of North East communities in the way they have in other areas.
That's the view of Northumbria's new Police and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth. The former Northumberland County Councillor is currently working to set her priorities for cutting crime in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland after being elected into the role previously held by new North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, in May.
While she says she will focus on the issues that impact the lives of all communities, such as anti-social behaviour, there will be no let-up in the fight against violent crime. And Ms Dungworth believes that although the North East does not have the same problem with gangs as other areas of the country, it is time to be honest and admit there are gangs here.
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"It's about stopping normalising the carrying of knives," she said. "We have got a chance to stop that here. The same with urban street gangs, they are very much in their infancy here. We need to accept that they are here and tackle that."
Ms Dungworth has vowed to continue the work of her predecessors Vera Baird and Kim McGuinness to help tackle both violence against women and girls and serious violent crime.
And although it is rare to become a victim of violent crime, she believes when it does happen it makes all members of the community feel less safe.
"There's no way we can pull back on the work that needs doing around serious crime, and in particular knife crime, because the impact on a victim is so great," she said "These big issues are not going away. They need to continue."
Ms Dungworth has also pledged to continue working with the voluntary organisations working hard to prevent knife crime. She has told of her admiration for the Connor Brown Trust, set-up by Tanya and Simon Brown, whose teenage son was stabbed to death in Sunderland five years ago, and Samantha's Legacy, established by loved ones of young mum Samantha Madgin who was murdered in Wallsend 18 years ago.
Both organisations visit schools and speak to young people about the dangers of carrying knives. And Ms Dungworth says everyone now has to work together to prevent more lives being lost to violence.
"We have got so many fantastic organisations," she said. "I went to one of Tanya and Simon Brown's sessions and the kids were silent. "They were SEND kids, they were pitched at totally the right level. They have used their own grief and heartache.
"It needs to come from as many different places as possible. It needs to come from schools and youth clubs but we also need to identify and target these young people who are mostly likely to get involved, have been involved or are on the cusp of getting involved."
