A TEAM of officers and youth workers will be deployed across Northumberland to disrupt a rise in crime.

It comes as the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness' Violence Reduction Unit puts plans in place to stop spikes in violence and keep people safe over summer.

The unit has launched a Summer Violence Fund and has invested over £100,000 into local communities after working with Community Safety Partnerships in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “Violence is unacceptable at any time of the year, and now that summer has arrived, we all want to enjoy everything our region has to offer – especially now we are seeing some normality back in our lives.

"But, it’s so important to me that everyone feels safe and that support is readily available to those who need it. That’s why my Violence Reduction Unit has provided additional resource throughout the summer, to engage with individuals at the earliest opportunity and prevent crime before it starts.

Assistant chief constable David Felton added: “As a force, we are committed to cutting serious violence and tackling the underlying causes of repeat offending.

“Our collective approach to reducing serious violence is succeeding, as supported by national figures which show hospital admissions fell by eight per cent and 14 per cent year-on-year in 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively.

“The number of offences involving firearms have also significantly reduced.

“This shows that the important work we are doing with partners to protect our communities and prevent these types of incidents from happening in the first place is making a difference.

“We will continue to look to build on the excellent work already under way, including to help educate people about the dangers of being involved in such activity and help them make better choices.

“By working together, we can continue to drive down crime and help ensure our region remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”