Cleveland Police receive £2m to tackle crime after fatal A66 crash

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced an additional £2 million for Cleveland Police to combat serious and organised crime. The funding follows a fatal crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough on August 22, which resulted in the deaths of two police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, as well as five men in the vehicle involved.

The crash occurred when a Volkswagen Passat, being pursued by police, was driven the wrong way along a dual carriageway and struck the officers' marked armed response vehicle. Cleveland Police stated the five men who died in the crash may have had links to “serious and organised criminal activity”.

In the aftermath of the incident, the force has dealt with various criminal acts, including vehicles being set on fire at a vigil and homes being rammed. To assist with the surge in activity, approximately 200 officers from outside the force have been deployed to the area. While the Home Secretary pledged the funds to support the grieving community and tackle lawlessness, some political figures have criticized the amount as inadequate.