The Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is a partnership between the police, local councils, health service providers and other key agencies to deliver a reduction in violence the county.

The Violence Reduction Unit now has its own website.

Please go here for more information:  

Kent & Medway Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) (kentandmedwayvru.co.uk)

Serious Violence Duty

The Serious Violence Duty (SVD) was introduced through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, to commence on 31^st January 2023.

The duty places several requirements upon local areas, including agreeing a local partnership arrangement to lead on the duty, a definition of serious violence, having consistent data sharing, analytical processes to produce a Strategic Needs Assessment, and production of a Strategy to set out how the duty will be implemented locally.

The work to respond to the serious violence duty has been coordinated by the VRU. There was an existing agreement by the majority of authorities for a partnership board with a definition of serious violence. The Board, which is chaired by the PCC with senior leaders from the specified authorities in attendance, have met and agreed:

The Terms of reference for the Board and how the Board will work collaboratively with existing multi-agency meetings where risk factors relating to serious violence are addressed.

To support a data sharing platform which is now in phase 2.

The SNA and Strategy via consultation along with the specified and relevant authorities.  Workshops were held across all areas along with surveys to gain the key points to be included.  These were finalised on 31^st January and published below:

If you'd like to read the Serious Violence and the Violence Reduction Unit's Serious Violence Strategy brochure please click here.

If you'd like to read the Serious Violence and Violence Reduction Unit's Serious Violence Strategy's - Executive Summary please click here.

If you're interested in the VRU's active bystander programme, you can follow this link:

https://www.kentandmedwayvru.co.uk/project/dontdonothing/