Writing for The Mirror, Policing Minister Sarah Jones says new Hex mapping will give police a new tool to tackle knife crime as the Goverment launches a winter crime blitz
The most wonderful time of the year is once again upon us.
For millions across the country, this means flocking to the shops for presents, taking in the delights of Christmas markets or enjoying a few drinks at festive parties. But we know all too well that the winter months are also a time when criminals often flourish, targeting shoppers, local businesses and busy transport hubs.
We know street robbery, open drug dealing, persistent ASB and retail crime erode confidence and make people feel unsafe. And we know, sadly, the heartbreak caused by knife crime, a horrific act that shatters lives and devastates families.
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That’s why we are today launching the Winter of Action – a nationwide effort to deliver fast, visible improvements in public safety during the months that matter most. Working hand-in-hand with communities, retailers and local partners, this initiative focuses on what people care about: feeling safe when visiting the high street, doing their Christmas shopping, travelling home after work or catching up with friends and family.
It will build on our Safer Streets Summer initiative, which took place across 649 town centres. This led to over 16,000 arrests and fines for offences such as shop theft and anti-social behaviour and saw a 17% rise in targeted visible patrols compared to the previous year.
The Winter of Action will be in that same vein and means practical steps now: more officers in the right places, at the right times, and working alongside local authorities, youth teams, retailers and businesses to tackle the root causes of crime and antisocial behaviour.
You will see the difference in front of your own eyes. Expect increased patrols in hotspots, high-visibility teams in town centres and coordinated operations across transport hubs.
Visibility deters crime and sends a clear message: our public spaces belong to the law-abiding majority, not criminals. Alongside this, we are taking a new data and intelligence-led approach to knife crime in England and Wales, getting to the heart of the problem and supporting our police forces to target their resources where they are most needed.
Having spoken to victims, and their families, I know how devastating and heartbreaking knife crime can be and why we need to intervene as soon as possible. We are making progress. In the last year, nearly 60,000 knives have been taken off the streets in England and Wales through new surrender schemes and police operations.
Knife homicides are down by almost 20%, overall knife crime has fallen for the first time in four years by 5%, and NHS data shows a 10% drop in hospital admissions for knife assaults. But we know we need to do more especially in areas where knife crime rates remain higher.
That’s where Hex mapping comes in, identifying crime hotspots by breaking towns and cities into small hexagonal zones where hyper-local issues can be spotted. It will allow the police to partner with local communities, advocacy groups, local authorities and youth outreach teams to spot a problem and take action together to stop it.
Success will be measured in human terms: fewer victims, fewer weapons on our streets, fewer incidents that make people feel unsafe, and restored public confidence, not only in their area but in the police too.
This winter, the message is simple: we will be present, visible and relentless. We will focus on the places where harm is concentrated, back our officers with strong partnerships, and stand with communities to reclaim public spaces.