THE government has announced a £1.9 million boost for Sussex Police to tackle violent crime.

The new funding for the county is part of the government’s £130 million investment to tackle the most devastating types of crime, including knife crime, gun crime and homicide.

The government also revealed that violence reduction units and "hotspot policing" initiatives have prevented 49,000 violent offences across England and Wales in their first 18 months.

Katy Bourne, Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex, said: “The Home Office’s commitment to the future of our violent reduction partnership is welcome news and will mean that Sussex Police and partners will be able to continue to intervene, rehabilitate and divert people away from crime, especially young people.

“We know now that this approach to learning more about and tackling serious violence is working and I’m reassured that, in Sussex, partners are taking a positive, united stand against serious violence by working together to make a real difference.”

In Chichester, the West Sussex Coastal Detached Youth Programme is identifying hotspots and high harm areas where there are significant challenges of serious violence amongst young people.

The project targets these areas of emerging concern and employs early intervention techniques to prevent escalation.

Gillian Keegan, Conservative MP for Chichester, said: “This funding is supporting communities and young people who are vulnerable to being sucked into criminal activity.

"Intervention and support are hugely important tools to protect vulnerable young people and prevent criminal activity from the get-go."

Crime and policing minister Kit Malthouse said: “The very worst part of my job is hearing from families who have lost loved ones to violence and finding out that something could have been done to prevent it.

“We must do more to reach those at risk of violence early on to break the cycle of crime. Only then will we truly level up the country and give everyone the security of a safe street and home.

“We’re throwing everything we have at this. At the heart, our pioneering violence reduction units galvanise all parts of the public sector to tackle violent crime, and this approach is really starting to work.”