Why Communities Must Support Police Officers In Tackling Knife Crime.

Knife crime is a failure to our children its a simple as that.

In Woolwich this morning-another family’s life has been shattered by the death of their 14 year old son. The horrendous attack on the child’s life came at 2.30pm on a 472 bus. A local officer on patrol in the area gave the initial alert.

This is the first fatal stabbing of 2025. This is the first young person to lose their life on the streets of London leaving his family and friends distraught. Eight days into the new year.

As a paper who works non stop with bereaved families who have lost their children to knife crime, we know that there will now be another, amongst the many, families whose lives will be torn apart be this horrendous attack on a child. Another family who will look for answers and not receive any, another family who will pray that no more children will die on our streets like their’s.

Knife crime is a failure to our children its a simple as that.

We need our police officers now to be supported in their battle against this crime. It is our police officers that ultimately are first responders and provide vital first aid.

Knife crime is a public health crisis.

Schools officers that have now been removed from schools due to cuts-played an excellent role supporting youths. Right across London some of these officers had fantastic relationships with youths in their schools, playing basketball with them, and supporting them when needed.

This is what London needs. Officers to be approachable in settings where youths can learn to have trust in them and ultimately develop a positive relationship with them. No one except bereaved parents and anti knife crime campaigners is tackling the scourge of knife crime and chances are this awful incident will also soon be swept aside by those in authority.

Our police officers are playing a crucial role in the fight against knife crime and must now, more than ever be supported in their role. Let us remember that when the horrors strike-they are the first to pick up the pieces.

Schools, local authorities, youth workers must all now work with our police officers together to support our children and stop this epidemic. You can pour as much money as you want in youth clubs but unless you tackle the root causes of knife crime, than nothing will be done.

Listen to the voices of our youth as school’s officers did. Listen to the reason why they carry knives, the incredible difficulties our youths face growing up today. So many watch their parents grow up in poverty, struggling to feed their children and yet they face the demands of social media and having to wear the right clothing.

Knife crime needs to be tackled right across the board and we urgently need our officers to be supported in their roles.

Today their is another broken family and more police officers traumatised by the horrors they have witnessed first hand.

RIP to the 14 year old boy who lost his life yesterday on a bus in Woolwich. Another life needlessly gone.

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