Swindon police say 'information' is key to preventing knife crime

Swindon's Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip WIlkinson, says diverse communities must be reached to obtain information

Police bosses have said "intelligence and information" is the key to tackling violent crime in Swindon.

Authorities are relying on information from the public to report criminal behaviour in the borough.

Data from the council will also be collected to predict and manage violent crimes.

School attendance and certain types of injury in the borough are amongst the data being monitored.

There have been a number of recent stabbings in the area.

A driver suffered severe facial injuries when he was attacked with a knife by two cyclists on 30 September, while another man was taken to hospital after being stabbed on the morning of the following day.

Swindon authorities have gathered to discuss the importance of community intelligence in tackling crime effectively.

Supt Joe Saunders of Wiltshire Police spoke to Swindon Borough Council's overview and scrutiny committee, alongside the Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson, the council's cabinet member for children Councillor Paul Dixon and the council's director of public health Dr Steve Maddern.

The chairman of the committee Councillor Dale Heenan asked: "What can we start, or stop, or improve? What will really make a difference?"

"Intelligence and information. If we have intelligence, we can do something with it," said Supt Saunders.

"We'd rather be told something twice or four times than not at all."

He added that intelligence could come from data collected by the council.

"It might be from health or education. Has there been an increase in a certain sort of injury, or are more people missing school? Is that in a certain area?"

Police said suspicions reported on 101, the police non-emergency number, were "good but slow" and urged the public to use Wiltshire Police's website to report information.

"There's Crimestoppers if you want to report something anonymously, although we'd prefer to know who you are to be able to follow up, but I know it's not always possible," said Supt Saunders.

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