Police bosses fighting knife crime crisis demand more power to search suspects as they face off with Sajid Javid

POLICE bosses today demanded the right to stop suspects who could be carrying a knife in a bid to end the violent crime epidemic.

Chief constables told Sajid Javid they need more powers and more cash to sort out the spate of deadly stabbings.

They vowed to launch a new "surge" to tackle knife crime as the Home Secretary pledged a fresh funding boost.

And Theresa May revealed she will hold a violent crime summit at No10 as well as summoning the Cobra council of senior ministers.

Public concern has risen after two 17-year-olds were stabbed to death in separate attacks over the weekend.

Mr Javid today hosted the heads of seven major police forces and asked what they need to solve the crisis.

They asked for the power to stop and search suspects without the "reasonable grounds" currently needed.

And they demanded more cash funding for extra officers.

Stop-and-search is a very valuable tool

Sajid Javid

Mr Javid told Sky News: "I think that stop-and-search is a very valuable tool and some police forces have started in recent years making even more use of that and they have my full support."

Pledging more cash for the police, the Home Secretary added: "We've got to do everything we can. I'm absolutely committed to working with the police in doing this.

"We have to listen to them when they talk about resources."

He also called for serious violence "to be treated by all parts of government, all parts of the public sector, like a disease, and I want us to tackle it the same way - everyone would come together."

Sara Thornton of the National Police Chiefs' Council said: "We know what tactics work, we know what we can do to surge operational capacity to deal with these crimes.

"But we haven't always got that capacity, haven't got the officers, so we've agreed by the end of the week we will set out the scale of the investment required."

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mrs May said: "A growing number of young people have lost their lives in a cycle of mindless violence that has shocked us all.

"We must all do more to ensure that justice is served and tackle the root causes of this violence."

The PM has been locked in a row with senior Tories after claiming that funding cuts to the police aren't responsible for rising crime.

Last weekend, Josie Chesney was killed in East London while Yousef Makki was stabbed to death in Greater Manchester.

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