Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Matt Storey has launched a new framework aimed at protecting young people from being drawn into serious violence and knife enabled crime.
Developed by the Cleveland Unit for Reduction of Violence Unit (CURV), the Knife Crime Action Plan sets out how local partners will work together to reduce knife crime and its devastating impact.
The plan, supported by the PCC, was shaped through consultation with organisations across Cleveland, including services currently delivering anti-violence interventions.
It builds on the outcomes of Cleveland’s first multi-agency Knife Crime Summit held in March 2025, followed by a dedicated workshop with third sector organisations in April 2025.
Tackling serious violence remains a key priority for the PCC, who is working closely with criminal justice partners to strengthen early intervention and support for young people, to reduce their risk and vulnerability to knife crime and serious violence.
The Knife Crime Action Plan details how CURV will lead in efforts to reduce the harm and devastation caused by knife crime, working in partnership with organisations across Cleveland.
The approach focuses on education, early intervention, enforcement, and the provision of positive opportunities for young people.
The plan identifies four key themes, that the CURV partnership will support activity around.
Interventions will be piloted in areas identified through serious violence hotspot data, making sure efforts are focused where they are most needed:
- Prevention – educating and engaging young people early and offering positive alternatives to violence
- Early Intervention – providing immediate support to young people and adults at key moments to help them avoid involvement in knife crime
- Community Action – empowering the community to actively participate in reducing knife crime and support a safer Cleveland
- Building tomorrow – providing people with long-term skills and opportunities, while developing sustainable solutions
The PCC launched the plan at the Riverside Stadium today (Monday 19th May), where he also had the opportunity to see the ‘No More Red Wall’: No Safe Place to Stab – a football themed knife crime education wall, developed in partnership with the MFC Foundation and local vascular surgeon Barnabas Green.
The concept will see participants kick a football at inflatable ‘figures’ before learning about the extent of potentially life-threatening injuries that can be caused by knife crime.
This will be used by the MFC Foundation in workshops and at community events to engage and educate young people about the dangers of knife crime.
In the last 12 months, CURV-funded interventions have engaged with over 9,500 young people under the age of 24 and a further 800 people over the age of 24, supporting them to make positive life choices and reduce the risk of being drawn into violent crime.
As a result of these collective efforts, the number of knife crime offences involving young people aged 24 and under has reduced by 12% – from 305 offences between January and December 2023 to 268 between January and December 2024.
PCC Matt Storey said: “The ultimate goal of the Knife Crime Action Plan is to build on the work already being done to make sure individuals have the tools and support to avoid them becoming involved in knife crime and serious violence.
“The plan has a strong focus on engagement with young people and education in schools which I believe is a crucial part of the whole system approach to tackle knife crime and drive down serious violence across Cleveland.
“We’ll continue to work with partners, local organisations, subject matter experts, victims and their families, those with lived experience of violent crime and young people to reduce the horror these incidents inflict on our communities.”
Chief Inspector Stuart Hodgson, Cleveland Police’s lead on Knife Crime said: “The Knife Crime Action plan absolutely supports the work Cleveland Police are doing to tackle the issue of knife crime. It’s a complex issue requiring a multi-agency approach.
“By working together to create a hostile environment for knife carriers, engaging with our communities and educating youngsters on the dangers of carrying knives, we can make a change and reduce knife crime.”
A summary of the Action Plan can be found here