Partnership tackling serious and organised crime in Newport recognised with award

A partnership between Gwent Police, Newport City Council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent has been commended by Police and Crime Commissioner Jeff Cuthbert as part of the Gwent Police awards 2020.

The Newport Serious and Organised Crime Partnership brings together partners from policing, the public sector and third sector organisations to deliver interventions to vulnerable young people who are at risk from being drawn into serious and organised crime.

The team are working with organisations such as the St Giles Trust, Crimestoppers and Barnardo’s to deliver a programme that educates young people about the risk of serious and organised crime, and encourages them to report their concerns to all nine secondary schools in Newport.

Police and Crime Commissioner, Jeff Cuthbert, said: “Serious and organised crime affects all communities across Wales and no single agency can resolve this problem on its own.

“To tackle it we need police, businesses, local authorities, the NHS, the third sector, schools and residents to work together. We need focused early intervention. We need community resilience.

“The team are doing some trailblazing work here in Gwent that is already making a real difference within our communities, supporting vulnerable young people and helping to keep residents safe.”

The partnership is also working to deliver more targeted interventions to those young people are have been identified as being at high risk.

Councillor Jane Mudd, Leader of Newport City Council, said: “The collaborative and ground-breaking work being undertaken in Newport to protect young people and prevent them from becoming involved in dangerous behaviour is so important.

“All the partners are determined to keep vulnerable young people safe from the clutches of serious and organised criminals both for their sake but also because of the impact such criminality has on individuals, families, communities and our city.”