Children as young as nine need to be targeted in the fight against knife crime Croydon’s top policeman has said.

Focus needs to shift from Year 6 to Year 5 children said Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer.

He was speaking at Croydon Council’s scrutiny and overview committee and said there has been one death from knife crime in the borough in the past year.

“One death from knife crime it is one too many but I think the borough is in a much better position than it was 12 months ago,” said Ch Supt Stringer.

“Where I think we need to focus equally as much on is making sure that prevention work is as effective as possible.”

He added that when he was last at the committee eight years ago in another role, was when there was another surge in knife crime.

“I think our focus needs to be Year 5 now – Exclusions are more of an issue now than they used to be,” he said.

“Our focus has to remain on what is causing violence and early intervention.

“I think the age we are working with needs to be younger and the transition between primary and secondary needs to be seamless.”

Evidence shows that children who are excluded from primary schools are much more likely to be involved with crime later in life.

He previously worked in Tower Hamlets and said he was keen for a School Watch programme which worked there to be introduced in Croydon.

It aims to make the journeys to and from schools safer for children.

“It’s about having that really strong partnership before school, after school and during school,” he said.

“If we went to any school in any borough I’m sure that teachers would be able to say ‘I’m concerned about this pupil or that pupil’.”