London has recorded more murders than New York in February and March 2018, according to figures from the Metropolitan Police and the New York Police Department. The data, reported by the Sunday Times and obtained by the BBC, shows that London investigated 22 murders in March compared to 21 in New York, while February saw 15 murders in London against 11 in New York.
Overall, the Met has investigated 46 murders so far in 2018, compared to 50 in New York. However, when adjusted for population, London's murder rate per 100,000 people was higher than New York's in both February and March. The Met Police expressed concern over the increase, stating that 31 of its 44 murder investigations this year have resulted from stabbings.
Former Met Police Chief Superintendent Leroy Logan described the trend as a 'virus of violence' that has become endemic. 'Police can't just arrest or stop and search their way out of this problem; it has to be done in partnership with the communities,' he said. City Hall acknowledged being 'deeply concerned' by knife crime but maintained that London remains one of the safest cities globally.
Croydon Central MP Sarah Jones, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on knife crime, urged London to adopt a public health approach similar to New York's, which focuses on early intervention and education. The Met's Commissioner Cressida Dick has visited Glasgow to learn from Scotland's successful violence reduction strategy and plans further fact-finding trips to New York and other UK forces.
The government has launched a £1.35 million campaign targeting 10 to 21-year-olds, featuring stories of teenagers who have been stabbed, to run across social media and digital channels.
