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Sajid Javid: 'Knife crime should be treated like a disease'

Knife crime should be treated like a ‘disease’, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has said.

Following his meeting with police chiefs from seven forces most affected by violent crime, Mr Javid said: “I want serious violence to be treated by all parts of government, all parts of the public sector, like a disease and I want us to tackle it the same way – everyone would come together.”

The talks coming following a series of stabbings that left teenagers dead, sparking concerns over falling police numbers.

Ahead of the meeting, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said there was “obviously” a link between violent crime and falling police numbers.

<em>Sajid Javid said knife crime should be treated ‘like a disease’ (Picture: REUTERS/Toby Melville)</em>
Sajid Javid said knife crime should be treated ‘like a disease’ (Picture: REUTERS/Toby Melville)

Mr Javid met with senior officers from the Metropolitan Police, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, West Midlands, South Wales, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire as well as representatives from the National Crime Agency and National Police Chiefs’ Council.

Ahead of the meeting, chairwoman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Sara Thornton had called for emergency funding to pay for overtime so forces could put more police officers on the streets.

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She said the discussions with the Home Secretary had been “really constructive”, adding: “We’ve agreed that by the end of the week we’ll set out the scale of the investment required,” she said.

Prime Minister Theresa May has announced she will host a summit to tackle knife crime.

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