A £3 MILLION cash injection is being made to help tackle serious violent crime in the region.

The funding, being awarded to West Yorkshire Police, is part of a £51 million Government package for forces nationally.

The so-called ‘surge funding’ is intended to support operational activities through increased patrols and weapon sweeps, equipment for officers and overtime.

It forms part of a £100 million Serious Violence Fund announced by the Government in March.

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson, said any additional investment to address the “scourge of knife and violent crime” was welcome.

“This money will help bolster our response here in West Yorkshire,” he said.

“However, we are still awaiting further announcements on the full use and allocation of all the funding, which is frustrating given that we are already into the new financial year.

“I attended a recent summit with the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street on the subject of serious youth violence, where I raised many of the experiences locally and stressed why a longer-term commitment is so crucial.

“This also builds on many of the discussions I have been having at a national level through the Home Office serious violence task force and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, which I chair.

“I have been keen to see this additional funding arrive as soon as possible, so that West Yorkshire Police can begin the targeted operational and enforcement activity that will start to make a tangible difference on the ground in tackling knife and violent crime.”

Mr Burns-Williamson said the funds would need to be used wisely to maximise their impact and complement other projects already taking place involving the police and partner organisations to tackle serious violence.

But he added: “It will only be through sustained early intervention and prevention work with our young people, schools, partners and communities that we will be able to effectively tackle knife and violent crime.

“I will continue to highlight the need for a long-term whole system approach by Government, which needs to be put in place.”

West Yorkshire’s temporary Deputy Chief Constable, Russ Foster, welcomed the funding.

“We are considering how we can best use it to maximum effect in order to bolster current activity and further protect the communities we serve,” he said.

“We’re already proactively targeting knife crime, from enforcement as part of the national Operation Sceptre and targeted patrols in hotspot areas, to working with partners to devise further diversionary activities.

“These give young people somewhere to go and something to do, the aim being to reduce their risk of being drawn into the knife crime culture.”