Knife Crime Awareness Week from May 19 to 25 by the charity the Ben Kinsella Trust has the message that knife crime is preventable, not inevitable.
Some 19 businesses are getting life-saving trauma kits are in Wakefield city centre, and Pontefract; containing a tourniquet, scissors, emergency bandages, 6-inch Israeli bandage, emergency blanket and haemostatic gauze pads. Venue security and door staff have been given training in use of the kits; all paid for by the Community Safety Partnership.
In Staffordshire, County Council Trading Standards officers are working with Staffordshire Police and local Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) in a ‘Ditch the Blade’ campaign, which aims to tackle knife crime through education, enforcement and community engagement. That includes preventing unlawful underage sales. It is illegal to sell a knife or similar product to anyone under the age of 18. Retailers are encouraged to use the ‘Challenge 25’ policy – asking for photo ID from anyone who appears under 25; officers are also advising businesses on best practices for storing knives securely.
Anthony Screen, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at the newly Reform-controlled Staffordshire County Council, said: “Knife crime is a concern to us all and here in Staffordshire our Trading Standards officers work closely with the police and PCSOs, regularly carrying out test purchases to ensure knives and other age-restricted products are not being sold to under 18s.
“Retailers of all sizes must follow the rules, and we’re pleased to see high levels of compliance already. Any business needing advice or support should contact our team. By working together, we’re able to make sure that retailers are not only meeting their legal obligations but also playing a vital role in keeping communities safe.”
Police are drawing up plans for countering knives in Nottingham city centre (pictured); by high-visibility and plain clothes patrols; use of ‘stop and search’ powers; marked police cars on show; liaison with public space CCTV; and deploying of knife detection arches. Chief Insp Karl Thomas, the Nottinghamshire force’s knife crime lead, said: “Our message to knife carriers who bring weapons into the city remains clear. You will be arrested and we will do everything in our power to put you before the courts or ban you from the city centre.
“However, we also know it is vitally important that people continue to feel safe when working in, living in and visiting the city centre – and that is what these plans ultimately aim to achieve. Knife arches have both a deterrent and detection capability. Plain clothes officers will be in place to spot those who evade the arch or change their behaviour when spotting them.
“We also hope to introduce regular walk-arounds with other support agencies, in particular to provide support to homeless people and drug users. We know these people are more likely to carry knives.
“We hope the public will be reassured by this raft of additional measures, which will only enhance the policing of the city centre.
“It will also enhance long-term measures to combat knife crime and associated issues, including criminal behaviour orders to ban offenders from the city centre.”
For background on police work against knives under Operation Sceptre, visit the Nottinghamshire Police website.
For how to defuse tension and avoid conflict, and offer first aid for someone with a heavy bleed, visit the British Red Cross website.
Youth view
According to the charity the Youth Endowment Fund, violence is becoming normalised, and in some communities, is part of their everyday livelihood. Young people can easily access knife-related content on social media platforms which can distort their perceptions of safety; and young people may turn to weapons for security.
Surrender bins
The Home Office is funding 37 new knife ‘surrender bins’ across London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester – the three highest areas of knife crime in England and Wales. Anti-knife crime activist and member of the government’s coalition, Faron Paul, will drive across London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester in a purpose-built van, encouraging young people to hand over knives. Home Office Policing and Crime Minister Dame Diana Johnson said: “This government is taking a different approach to tackling knife crime — one rooted in partnership with those who have first-hand experience of this devastating crime. We are committed to halving knife crime within a decade as part of our Plan for Change — and that demands bold, radical action.
“That is why we formed the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, not as a talking shop, but as a genuine, working partnership and these new initiatives are a direct result of that collaboration. I’m deeply grateful to Faron Paul and Sandra Campbell for their leadership in driving them forward. We know that young people involved in crime can have complex pasts and often deep-rooted mistrust in authority, and I truly believe it’s this kind of collaboration that will save young lives.”
For Diana Johnson’s visit to Coventry on Wednesday, May 21, see the West Midlands Police website.
About the Trust
The Ben Kinsella Trust points to unprecedented levels of knife crime and calls for sustained and collaborative action by police forces, health services, and community groups to tackle the root causes of knife crime and reduce its impact nationwide. Visit https://benkinsella.org.uk/.
