The Police and Crime Commissioner said he does not want London’s knife crime to “travel over to Hertfordshire”.

Last week David Lloyd was invited to Downing Street to discuss with the Prime Minister his plans to prevent gang-related violence happening in the county and how he will reduce the current level of knife crime.

Watford Observer:

Theresa May hosting a Serious Youth Violence summit at Downing Street

Mr Lloyd, who chairs the Police and Crime Panel, said he has given a £140,000 Community Safety Grant matched by Hertfordshire County Council towards additional youth project workers.

He will use money from a recent council tax rise so police can recruit an extra 75 police officers in the county.

He said: “Knife crime has been very much in the news, but put simply I do not want to see London’s knife crime travelling over in to Hertfordshire.

“While knife crime remains very low in Hertfordshire, I am determined to get it ever lower. I have given a Community Safety Grant, which has been matched by Hertfordshire County Council, to recruit additional youth project workers.

“Using extra money from the council tax precept rise I have instructed the chief constable to recruit an extra 75 police officers. When they are all in post it will take the establishment figure over 2,000 for the first time since 2011.”

At a Police and Crime Panel on Thursday (April 11) Mr Lloyd highlighted the £280,000 in funding he secured for the anti-knife crime initiative in Hertfordshire.