MORE police on the streets will help tackle growing numbers of knife crime, Essex’s police and crime com - missioner revealed.

Last week, The Weekly News ex - clusively reported a steep 25 per cent rise in knife crime on last year, owing largely to drug-running gangs spilling from the streets of London.

Police and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst this week announced plans to make policing more “visible”, in order to combat the crime.

He said: “As we develop the new Police and Crime Plan, I expect local, visible and accessible policing to be a central element.

“So, where intelligence identifies a crime hotspot, I expect Essex Police to take action.

“This will often involve providing a visible patrolling presence.

“There were 51 knife crime offences in the Chelmsford area between April 2015 and March 2016, compared with 40 between April 2014 to March 2015, some of this criminality is associated with gangs.”

Mr Hirst added the force has re - ceived £750,000 from the Home Office to pilot a fresh scheme, where people suspected of a criminal offence will be spot tested for drugs.

“Chelmsford is still a safe and vi - brant city.

“The latest figures show 63 fewer house burglaries, a decrease of 13.7 per cent, comparing the 12 months to May 31, 2016 with the previous 12 month period. “Burglary is a crime that causes great distress to victims, and I wel - come this reduction,” he said.