The Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, has pushed forward her commitment to driving down crime with a partnership approach to prevent and reduce violence.
The PCC has introduced the Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) which brings together 25 partner agencies from across the two counties including the NHS, Probation, Youth Justice, policing, local authorities, education and the Fire Service, to tackle the root causes of violence.
PCC Donna Jones said: “As Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, I chair the serious violence reduction board and through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 the Serious Violence Duty was introduced.
“This is a requirement for both police forces and criminal justice partners to do everything that they can, working with local authorities, to reduce serious violence. My job is ensuring that all those that have this requirement are fulfilling their statutory duty.
“We all know the devastating and tragic consequences that violence has on individuals, families and communities. Everyone deserves to live their lives free from violence and the fear of violence.
“Serious violence is a complex issue so this partnership approach is vital because the police alone cannot prevent serious violence. The collective responsibility enables all the agencies involved to come together to bring about positive change and safer neighbourhoods.”