New £4m project to cut violent crime in West Midlands

A new £4m unit to tackle violence will stop crime "before it starts," say commissioners.

The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), being held in the West Midlands police area, will expand current projects and develop new ones, organisers said.

Mark Brindley, from Aldridge, whose son James was murdered in 2017, said the project "had to" make a difference.

Violent attacks against the person have risen by 32% in the region in the last year alone, said police.

Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said that the VRU hopes to "reduce the number of victims and perpetrators" by addressing the "causes of crime".

Projects earmarked for expansion include current schemes which place case workers in A&E units and placing experts in GP surgeries to help domestic violence victims.

Police, councils, schools and health organisations will run violence prevention workshops and offer support to prevent prisoners re-offending.

Steve Clarke from the St Giles Trust said youth workers already embedded in Wolverhampton and Coventry A&E departments help young people caught up in violence "see a way out".

"They offer that glimmer of hope because they were once in that situation," he added.

Mr Brindley, whose son was stabbed to death on his way home from a night out, said he believed the initiative would make a difference.

"Yes I believe it can happen, there's a lot of very clever people in there," he said.

Dr Sue Ibbotson, Public Health England's director for the West Midlands, said the "public health approach" would "stop violence before it starts".

The PCC has contributed £524,000 to a £3.37m sum from the Home Office to establish the unit and local councils and West Midlands Police are adding £140,000.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone.