Knife crime is on the rise across the country and the West Midlands is not immune.
I have described the rise in violent crime as a national emergency and Solihull is not exempt from this crisis.
Last year, West Midlands Police recorded 3,210 offences involving a knife. 50 of these offences resulted in a death.
In July 2017, Daniel Baird was fatally stabbed while on a night out in Birmingham, after a clash between two groups.
While being driven to hospital, the 26 year old sadly died.
Following Daniel’s tragic death, his mother Lynne began campaigning tirelessly for the roll out of ‘Bleed Control Kits’ across Birmingham.
Lynne Baird runs The Daniel Baird Foundation in memory of her son, and has been working hard to get bleed kits into venues across the city.
Bleeding from injuries can prove fatal in as little as three to five minutes.
It takes an ambulance approximately seven minutes to reach a patient. These kits can help save vital minutes until paramedics arrive at the scene.
Lynne’s passionate campaigning means that Birmingham is now set to become the first ‘Control the Bleed’ city in the UK. A scheme which I hope will be adopted across the West Midlands.
I have given £4,000 to fund this pilot project, which will see 50 bleed control kits issued to businesses and venues across the city centre.
The kits are relatively inexpensive and can save a life for £80 each.
Lynne’s efforts are to be admired and I am delighted to have been able to help, even on just a small way.
In a bid to address this knife crime epidemic, I have also committed £2 million to tackling violent crime in the West Midlands, through the Gangs and Violence commission. And won further funding to expand those schemes further.
We need to tackle school exclusions and off-rolling, which we know is fuelling violent crime in the region. Permanent schools exclusions, cuts to youth prevision and rising levels of deprivation are all contributing to this rise in violence.
I am sure that Solihull Council have looked at the recently published Timpson report on school exclusions and will want to implement the recommendations rapidly.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson
