UK Government ‘Ready to Deploy’ Military to Tackle Knife Crime Epidemic
British Defense secretary prepare armed forces to deal with violence in London
© press
The British government is preparing to deploy armed forces to tackle the UK's escalating knife crime epidemic, according to the defense secretary, Gavin Williamson.
Williamson stated that military personnel “would always be ready to respond” to knife crime incidents while the Ministry of Defence “always stands ready to help any government department.”
Mr. Williamson added:
“I know that the home secretary is looking very closely at how he can ensure that everything is done to tackle this problem at the moment.”
© press
[RELATED] Sadiq Khan: 'Cocaine Addicts Are To Blame For London's Knife Crime, Not Me'
Metropolitan Police commissioner, Cressida Dick, said she would be prepared to deploy troops to support officers who are overwhelmed with the violent knife crime epidemic sweeping the capital and the rest of the UK.
The knife crime epidemic has exploded under Sadiq Khan in London, sparking debate on the low amount of police on British streets.
According to The BBC:
There were 42,957 offenses in the 12 months ending in September 2018, a 31% increase on the previous year and the highest number since 2011, the earliest point for which comparable data is available.
Out of the 44 police forces, 42 recorded a rise in knife crime since 2011.
But British Priminster Theresa May insisted that violent crime was not directly linked to falling police levels.
The number of police officers in the UK has plummeted by 20,000 since 2010.
The boss of the national Police Chiefs Council said “we just don’t have enough officers,” before calling on the government to inject “emergency money” into policing which would help to target the problem from the root.
British Citizens to Be Trained to Deal With Terror Attacks Amid Police Shortage-Shortage of Police Officers to Deal with Violence in Sadiq Khan's London...
— Joy Deplorable #MAGA (@Gioia_5464) September 22, 2018
READ MORE: https://t.co/K0yNgWnG8r
© Neon Nettlehttps://t.co/K0yNgWnG8r
Via - @NeonNettle#NeonNettle
© press
Sarah Thornton also added that May should also appoint a “senior minister holding all departments and agencies to account” for the crisis.
According to Sky News:
Official figures from the London Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime stated Police expanded their use of stop and search powers to tackle knife crime.
Last November, Sadiq Khan announced plans to slash the number of police in the UK capital, despite soaring crime rates.
The cull will see the lowest number of police in over 15 years and is intended to lower spending in London to bring the city in line with requests from the Home Office for further savings.
Calls for Sadiq Khan to resign have been made as knife attacks in London rose to 16 percent in 2018 as violence surges across the UK.
Last year, Scotland Yard officer and former advisor to Sadiq Khan had the Mayor had no “coherent strategy” to fight crimes in London.
A special investigation into the Mayor’s record in office by the Evening Standard, former Police superintendent Leroy Logan attacked Khan for adopting an “enforcement approach and failing to build trust with communities."
