More CCTV will be installed in part of Nottinghamshire to try to combat a sudden rise in knife crime and dampen fears further violence will follow.
Politicians in Gedling called for a meeting with Notts Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford on Friday (May 26) after a 17-year-old boy was stabbed outside The Ram Inn on Mansfield Road, Redhill in the early hours of the morning.
The following day in Arnold two attacks less than an hour apart led to two other people being stabbed.
Mr Guildford met a Gedling Borough Council Leader John Clarke and MP for Gedling Vernon Coaker on Tuesday after they and other local politicians had called for police to do more.
Gedling Borough Council described the meeting as “productive” and said an action plan agreed included more CCTV and lighting in Arnold town centre – although the authority did not specify where and when this would be delivered.
A permanent police base would also be established in Arnold, the council added, although this is likely to be a shared community centre arrangement rather than a police station.
Neighborhood Wardens, employed by the council, will be given extra powers to approach people on the streets, although again the details were not specified.
Councillor Clark said: “Today’s meeting has set out some clear actions that should reassure residents that we are all doing everything we can to make our streets safer. We work closely with Nottingham Police and the actions agreed today will further strengthen this relationship.”
Mr Coaker said the Government had its own questions to answer over funding of policing. Notts Police alone has lost tens of millions of pounds from its budget over the last ten years as a result of Government cuts.
“I am writing urgently to the Home Secretary and the Justice Secretary. The Home Secretary needs to provide the resources for the police to deal with these issues, both in the short and long term, to ensure we have an increased number of police on our streets,” said Mr Coaker.
“The government needs to introduce tougher sentences for knife crime and these tougher sentences must be used by the courts.”
The 17-year-old hurt on Friday remains in hospital in a serious condition. A 20-year-old has been charged and appeared in court in connection with the attack.
In another knife attack the next day, on Allen’s Walk, Arnold a 29-year-old man was hurt and a 20-year-old man was later arrested and charged. A 17-year old also hurt on Saturday on Hawthorn Crescent in a seperate incident.
Police say they do not believe any of the three incidents are linked directly.
New Home Secretary Sajid Javid has pledged to ensure police have more resources while warning he has no “magic wand” to reverse budget cuts.
He told the Police Federation last week: “I will prioritise police funding in the spending review next year.
“I will give you the tools, the powers and the back-up that you need to get the job done.”
