Thames Valley Police has been awarded £1,160,000 to support the creation of a Violence Reduction Unit.

The Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner has received Home Office funding as part of a violence reduction initiative to tackle violent crime.

The initiative will involve both police, local government and health and community leaders in an attempt to understand the root causes of crime in the area and coming up with a co-ordinated strategy to tackle it.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, Anthony Stansfeld said: “I am pleased to have been able to secure this funding to tackle serious violence and look forward to seeing the results.

“A partnership approach to tackling violent crime is a key priority for my office.

“We have already been working extensively with partners, from across the region, as part of the Early Intervention Youth Fund.”

The Home Office announcement declared £35 million of funding for 18 areas in the UK - one of which is Thames Valley.

Policing Minister, Kit Malthouse said: “To beat knife crime we must do two things: first we need assertive, high profile police enforcement and second, we need a coordinated approach to the long term solutions to violence in society, especially amongst the young.”

“These new units should help us get results on both.”