£1.6m allocated to Thames Valley Police to tackle serious crime in Aylesbury Vale and Buckinghamshire

This investment is part of the additional £35.5 million announced towards Violence Reduction Units in police force areas across England and Wales.

Thames Valley Police describe the initiative as bringing together partners across the Thames Valley to provide a 'co-ordinated response' to tackling serious crime across the region.

This multi-agency approach involves local authorities, health, education, policing, third sector organisations, members of the community and many more, all working together to understand the root causes of serious violence and focussing on place-based problem solving in order to address them.

The VRU takes a public health approach to tackling violence – looking at violence not as isolated incidents or solely a law enforcement problem but instead as a preventable consequence of a range of factors such as adverse early-life experiences or harmful social or community experiences and influences.

Thames Valley’s VRU therefore focusses on four main themes:

Early intervention and prevention

Supporting communities and partnerships

Tackling county lines and the misuse of drugs

Effective law enforcement and the criminal justice response

Speaking to the Bucks Herald, Aylesbury MP Rob Butler said:

“I am delighted that Thames Valley Police will receive more than £1 million to tackle the violence that has been denting too many young people their futures.

"This funding will help bring together organisations across our community to confront violent crime and address its underlying causes as well as also funding positive prevention projects

amongst children and young people.

“By backing our police with the funding, powers and resources they need, we are keeping the public and our communities safer, helping make Aylesbury a great place to live, work, visit and invest.”

The Government has now invested some £105 million in the programme, supporting more than 100,000 young people since it was established.

The money forms part of a wider government drive to tackle crime and make communities safer. This includes recruiting in 20,000 additional police officers over the next three years, of whom more than 6,000 have already been hired.

A range of short and long term activities and interventions are currently being delivered by the VRU including:

Work with schools to develop educational materials for students and parents

Mentoring and detached youth work

Community engagement events

Drug diversion schemes for young people under 18yrs

Policing operations and intelligence led patrols

Custody diversion schemes for young adults

The Home Secretary, Priti Patel MP, said: “Violence Reduction Units play a vital role in preventing young people from being dragged into the horrors of serious violence, and this funding will enable them to continue this crucial work.

“I will continue to back our police with the resources and powers they need to cut crime and make your community safer.”