In this episode, All Things Business – The Podcast tackles a serious issue affecting youth up and down the country. Supported by frequent guest and former Mayor of Milton Keynes Amanda Marlowe, Ben is joined by Emma Baillie, Area Commander for Milton Keynes and Thematic Lead for Knife Crime with Thames Valley Police.
Tackling the Milton Keynes’ knife crimewave
In 2022, the Milton Keynes community was rocked by a series of murders all involving knives. Emma stepped into her role in 2023 following this difficult period and led the city’s approach to youth knife crime. Knife crime continued to be a significant problem among the city’s youth throughout 2023, with the Somali community hit particularly hard by the violence.
To combat this, Emma and her team implemented Operation Dilemma. The operation involved intelligence operations, harm reduction to stop young people from picking up knives, and other initiatives. This approach resulted in over 90 charges over that summer and the streets have felt considerably safer ever since.
Preventative approaches to knife crime
Amanda’s term as mayor coincided with this difficult period and she has continued her advocacy on the topic ever since. Through her work with The Safety Centre, she was a key figure in putting women from the Somali community and figures from Thames Valley Police in the same room. This helped build bridges and to tackle the problem from a more social perspective.
Her work with The Safety Centre also includes their immersive Hazard Alley facility, which helps children learn more about living safely in many walks of life. This includes knife crime and other hazards they might encounter. She encourages schools and parents to get involved with the charity by donating or having schools attend for their educational courses.
The episode concludes as usual with the dinner party question. Amanda invites Carey Grant, Lord Blackadder, Barack Obama and Prince William to her meal. Emma would invite David Attenborough, Field Marshall Slim and her two teenage daughters.
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