One of the country’s most senior police officers has warned the rise in knife attacks is an “emergency” and “there is a link” between fewer officers and more crime.
Sara Thornton, chairwoman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said there needed to be “stronger leadership from government”.
A string of fatal teen stabbings have sparked a heated debate over police officer numbers in England and Wales, which have dropped by more than 20,000 since 2009.
Theresa May has claimed there is no direct link with cuts in police numbers and an increase in crime.
Officers from seven of the forces most affected by violent crime are due to meet Home Secretary Sajid Javid today.
Speaking to the BBC this morning ahead of the meeting, Thornton said: “We need to ask ourselves why a child would take a knife to use against another child, and I think the causes are complex and we need to get the right people around the table.
“We just haven’t got the capacity, we just haven’t got the officers at the moment so we need some money now to pay for overtime to pay for mutual aid between forces.”
“The evidence is there are fewer officers therefore there is less policing and there is more crime,” she added. “I think there is a link.”
“Look at the facts, there are fewer police officers doing less policing and there’s more crime.”
Police figures show violent crime rose by nearly a fifth in the year to September 2018.