A CRIME Commissioner says changes designed to ensure a more joined up approach to serious violence between public agencies are a “welcome and necessary” step forward.

The Government has announced new measures to tackle issues like knife crime. These include new legal responsibilities for public bodies such as councils, healthcare providers, and education representatives to work together more and play greater roles in tackling serious violence.

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “These changes are both welcome and necessary. Violent crime has increased nationwide and is a reflection of society as a whole. It isn’t therefore a problem that we can simply ‘police’ our way out of. It needs a whole society solution to address the root causes of violence.”

“Too often currently our police are picking up demand caused by gaps or failures in other services, particularly mental health. Our police exist to enforce the law and tackle crime. This is what our communities want and rightly expect them to focus on. Any changes that help them focus on those core functions, while making other bodies take a more active approach can only lead to more effective solutions and better results for our communities.”