Knife Crime

The City of London acknowledges receipt of your request.

City of London
[1]www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

________________________________

Original Message-----
From: Lucy Smith [[2]mailto:[FOI #22356 email]]
Sent: 02 November 2009 16:32
To: COL - Contact Centre Resource Account
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Knife Crime

Dear FOI Officer,

I am writing to make an Open Government request for all the
information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000.

In order to assist you with this request, I am outlining my query
as specifically as possible.

If however this request is too wide or too unclear, I would be
grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the
Act, you are required to advise and assist requesters.

I am writing to enquire about the statistics of knife crime in your
area. How many people on average a year are subjected to knife
crime? and is there anything being done to prevent the number of
attacks?

I understand that under the Act, I should be entitled to a response
within 20 working days. I would be grateful if you could confirm in
writing or by email that you have received this request. I look
forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Thank you,

Lucy Smith

Journalism Student, University of Lincoln

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Following your request of 2 November 2009, and our acknowledgement of 3
November, the City of London (CoL) responds as follows.

Firstly, please note that the CoL is the Local Authority and Police
Authority for the "square mile" only, ie the historic City of London
(which has a resident population of just under 8,000), and not London as a
whole, which is covered by over 30 boroughs and the Westminster City
Council. Please see the following link to a map on the CoL's website,
which shows the area covered:
[1]www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/maps/boundary_map.htm.

With regard to "How many people on average a year are subjected to knife
crime?", the CoL does not monitor or hold statistics on this. The
information is held by the City of London Police (CoLP). Please note that
the CoL (including the City of London Police Authority) is a separate body
from the CoLP for the purpose of compliance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (FOIA) - please see
[2]http://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/CityPo....
Nevertheless, we have, for the purpose of your request, obtained the
figure for total knife crime for the financial year 2008/9. The number of
recorded offences during that period involving the use of a knife was 14.

With regard to "...and is there anything being done to prevent the number
of attacks?", we do provide, for young people and parents, guidance
leaflets about knife crime. There are also a number of measures taken in
the City to prevent all types of crime. For example, there is much
diversionary activity with our youth, including after school and school
holiday clubs, such as sports and arts clubs. These are aimed at providing
our young people with a diversion away from crime and anti-social
behaviour. They are also used to provide advice and guidance on avoiding
becoming a victim of crime and keeping safe. Very few young City residents
get involved with crime. There is much work done with our licensed
premises to prevent all types of crime. We now have a joint CoL and CoLP
licensing group. It focuses on all premises where crime occurs. The Safer
City Partnership, with partners CoLP and London Fire Brigade, visits many
businesses and estates throughout the year to provide crime prevention and
personal safety advice. This can be in the form of a road show or a
presentation and will include the provision of guidance literature.
Furthermore, talks are given to parents within City businesses on topical
issues, which may not be an issue in the City, but are of general concern.
We provide a range of crime prevention information in both written and
verbal form. This includes a new booklet, 'Safety in the City: A guide for
Residents', and there is also a business version.

We hope that this response is of assistance. Nevertheless, should you wish
to make a complaint about the way the CoL has handled your enquiry, please
make your complaint in writing to email address:
[email address]. For a link to the CoL's FOI complaints
procedure, please visit the following page:
[3]www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Feedback, at the end of which is located the
FOI complaints procedure. If, having used the CoL's FOI Complaints
Procedure, you are still dissatisfied, you may request the Information
Commissioner to investigate. Please contact: Information Commissioner,
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Telephone:
(01625) 545700. Website: [4]http://www.ico.gov.uk/.

The FOIA applies to the City of London as a local authority, police
authority and port health authority. The City of London holds the
copyright in this email. The supply of it does not give a right to re-use
it in a way that would infringe that copyright, for example, by making
copies, publishing and issuing copies to the public or to any other
person. Brief extracts of any of the material may be reproduced under the
fair dealing provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
(sections 29 and 30) for the purposes of research for non-commercial
purposes, private study, criticism, review and news reporting, subject to
an acknowledgement of the copyright owner.

City of London
[5]www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

________________________________

Original Message-----
From: Lucy Smith [[6]mailto:[FOI #22356 email]]
Sent: 02 November 2009 16:32
To: COL - Contact Centre Resource Account
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Knife Crime

Dear FOI Officer,

I am writing to make an Open Government request for all the
information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000.

In order to assist you with this request, I am outlining my query
as specifically as possible.

If however this request is too wide or too unclear, I would be
grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the
Act, you are required to advise and assist requesters.

I am writing to enquire about the statistics of knife crime in your
area. How many people on average a year are subjected to knife
crime? and is there anything being done to prevent the number of
attacks?

I understand that under the Act, I should be entitled to a response
within 20 working days. I would be grateful if you could confirm in
writing or by email that you have received this request. I look
forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Thank you,

Lucy Smith

Journalism Student, University of Lincoln

show quoted sections