London violence: Knife crime 'levelling off', says Cressida Dick

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has praised the "Herculean effort" of her officers

Knife crime in London has "levelled off", according to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

Speaking to Radio 4's Today Programme, Cressida Dick praised the "Herculean effort" of her police officers.

A violent crime taskforce was set up in the city in April following a spike in killings.

There have been 132 homicides this year, the highest total since 2008. Of those, 77 were stabbings, compared with 80 fatal stabbings in 2017.

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Ms Dick said the issue of knife crime was a "very big challenge" and not only in London.

She said: "The home secretary has his Serious Violence Strategy, the mayor has his [public health approach].

"I think everybody is beginning to play more and more of a part in supporting us.

"What we are now seeing, from what has been a Herculean effort from the whole of the Met, we are beginning to see that knife crime has levelled off.

"The most important indicator for me, is knife injuries among 25-year-olds seems to be consistently coming down.