Over 7,500 knives taken by police forces during national knife crime campaign

Between Monday 26 April and Sunday 2 May, police officers arrested 2,131 people as part of Operation Sceptre, with 604 of those relating specifically to knife crime.

Operation Sceptre is a national week of intensified action to tackle knife crime and raise awareness of prevention work, education and activity with partners such as Crimestoppers and violence reduction units.

There were 758 knives seized and 6,792 knives surrendered or recovered from weapon sweeps.

Here are some of the tactics used by police officers across the country.

• Knife detection arches in schools and transport hubs
• Joint operations with British Transport Police
• Visits to primary and secondary schools
• Retail visits making sure retailers were adhering to the law and weren’t selling weapons to under 18s
• Plain clothed officers sent on patrols in city centres and areas of knife crime
• Searches and weapon sweeps in local parks alongside community councils and youth volunteers

Other local initiatives included Thames Valley Police visiting every primary school in their area and Derbyshire Police patrolling the city and areas of knife crime in a van wrapped with anti-knife crime messages.

There were 1,906 retailer visits carried out, 367 test purchases and almost 2,000 engagement visits at schools and community meetings.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for knife crime, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Graham McNulty, said: “Knife crime can have a devastating impact on communities across the country and we are doing all we …

… 8,771 additional police officers and are investing millions in essential youth intervention programmes and youth organisations to support young vulnerable people who are at risk of serious and violent crime.”