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Sceptre, a knife crime initiative, is a week of action next week by police nationally.
In Hertfordshire, Sergeant Karen Mellor, who is leading for the county force on the operational activity for Sceptre, said: โKnife crime remains low in the county, but we regularly run these weeks of action, along with our policing partners across the country as part of a continuing effort to drive down knife crime. As part of our Serious Violence Strategy we aim to raise awareness of knife crime amongst young people, to ensure that they do not become involved in this type of crime at an early age. We also target knife carriers, using stop and search and other powers, to ensure they are not posing a threat to our communities.
โWe will also be focussing on those selling illegal knives online and through social media sites as this is where the majority of the recently banned zombie knives are acquired.โ
Hertfordshire Police say that knife related crime remains low in the county, compared to other parts of the country, but the campaign aims to raise awareness that carrying a knife is illegal and will not help to keep you safe. Hertfordshire are conducting knife detection operations and talking to retailers to ensure knives are not sold to those under 18 years; and advising young people, via school visits and social media, about the dangers of carrying a knife.
Knife surrender
During the campaign, any knives in your possession that you do not want or should not have, can be surrendered, usually at police stations: such as in Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Stevenage or Watford. In Merseyside meanwhile, drop-off points will be at the General Enquiry Offices in ten police stations across Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral. Any type of knife or sharp item can be handed in during the surrender period, until Sunday, May 25; and members of the public are not required to give any personal details.
Police ask that the public take care when bringing a knife to a surrender location. Consider securely wrapping the bladed item in cardboard or a tea towel. The knives are destroyed unless they show signs of being used in a crime, in which case police have a duty to investigate.
The law
It is a criminal offence to possess in private any weapon set out in the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons). In England and Wales, a private place is a place other than a public place; school premises; further education premises or a prison. Police have the power to stop and search any person if they have ‘reasonable grounds’ to suspect that person may be carrying something that is against the law.
