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In my favourite TV series, The West Wing, there’s an episode called A Proportional Response.

A US plane has been shot down and military advisors are briefing President Bartlet – Martin Sheen – on options for a suitable retaliatory strike.

But he’s lost a pal in the attack and wants vengeance.

“What,” he demands, “is the virtue of a proportional response?”

And an aide replies: “It’s all there is, Sir.”

I thought about it this week after ­pensioner Richard Osborn-Brooks was arrested on suspicion of murdering ­burglar Henry Vincent, who was stabbed while raiding his home.

(Image: Kent Police)

Vincent, 37, was a nasty career criminal who deliberately targeted vulnerable and frail pensioners.

Mr Osborn-Brooks, 78, was judged on whether he used “disproportionate force” to protect himself and his disabled wife. After days of serious debate, police dropped the charges.

Then I wondered what the “proportional response” should be to the death of an innocent 17-year-old girl caught in gang crossfire.

To the fact that 56 murders and rising rapes and robberies have made London more dangerous than New York? When an £11billion cocaine trade is fuelling gang violence and landing kids in school uniforms in A&E with gunshot wounds?

Don’t we need a ­response that is ­disproportionate – to get ahead of the plague of ­violence threatening British society?

A plague that’s flourished since the Tories slashed police numbers to their lowest in 21years, ­watered down

“stop and search” ­measures and axed youth services helping keep kids out of crime.

Met Commissioner Cressida Dick has just announced a task force of 300 officers to tackle London’s most violent ­hotspots and gang members.

But this is a nationwide crisis and the Tories are in denial about the true scale.

The culture of violence is being ­normalised through viral videos on anger-filled social media sites – which must be better policed.

We also need to find new initiatives in communities across Britain to support our young people.

To say “no more” to violent crime while demanding more cash for the ­police, the criminal justice system and the health workers trying to stem the bloody tide.

This week the lead surgeon for trauma at Barts Health Trust in London told Radio 4’s Today programme how shot and stabbed kids are getting younger – he’s even treated nine-year-olds.

His ex-military colleagues say it’s like working at Camp Bastion.

Mr Griffiths said: “This is an epidemic of violence against and ­between kids and we ought to be outraged.

“We ought to be motivated to fix it and we shouldn’t rest until

we have.”

He’s right. Each of us must ­respond in any way we can.

It’s all there is.