It is heart-breaking that the epidemic of violent crime is claiming the lives of so many children.
A senior police office has now revealed that children as young as nine are being caught carrying knives.
We urgently need more police officers on our streets to restore the community policing that helps to prevent violent crime.
That’s why the Liberal Democrats are demanding an extra £300 million a year for the police.
But we also need to tackle the root causes of this epidemic to stop it spreading in our communities.
That requires a public health approach involving not only the police, but also health professionals, social workers and teachers.