A FALL in violent crime rates could be put at long-term risk if the region does not make supporting communities a key part of Coronavirus recovery plans, the Northumbria Police Commissioner has warned.

New figures show an 18 per cent reduction in knife-enabled serious violence across the Northumbria force area, between April 2019 and March 2020.

A knife-crime report due to be considered by Northumbria's police and crime panel next week shows the number of young victims of knife-crime has reduced by 23 per cent, from 254 to 195, while Northumbria Police have removed 6,498 knives from the streets.

Now police commissioner Kim McGuinness has said that while an economic recovery is central to our region’s overall plans, it is vital the North-East works together to help families get through the challenging recovery period and keep crime down.

She said: "While many families and young people in our region have healthy support networks, others do not. With the risk of recession growing, we see an increased risk of deprivation and crime.

"It is a story the North-East has seen over and over again, and it is vital we learn the lessons.

"Our plan for recovery from Coronavirus has to support businesses and grow our economy, but it cannot simply end there. We also need to support families and communities, and in the coming weeks and months I will be advocate for this agenda, both in the region and with government."

The Northumbria Police Commissioner said she will be working with local authorities, community services and others to ensure there a co-ordinated response to recovery.

The Northumbria force area is below the national average for knife enabled serious violent crime, per head of population, thanks to the work of a dedicated police force.

Their efforts have been supported in recent months by the Commissioner’s Violence Reduction Unit, which has been working to target known offenders while supporting young people away from crime.

The first phase of the Violence Reduction Unit has recently concluded, with 3,687 young people supported and through funded interventions and 183 families mentored as part of the early intervention work.

A programme of intervention with schools was also developed, alongside a training package to be delivered to children and young people. By the end of January 2020, 91 schools had benefitted from knife-crime interventions, involving 8,645 children and young people.

Between April 2019 and March 2020 the Police removed 6,498 knives from Northumbria streets, and there was an 18 per cent reduction in knife-enabled serious violence across the Northumbria force area, from 964 offences to 794.

A report on reducing knife crime in the Northumbria area, and an update on Coronavirus planning, will be discussed at the Northumbria police and crime panel meeting on June 9.