Hertfordshire police step up knife crime action
The force is carrying out extra knife sweeps, school visits and amnesty work across Hertfordshire as part of a national week of action that aims to remove illegal knives from public places
Hertfordshire Police are taking part in a national knife crime campaign this week, focusing on taking knives off the streets and speaking to young people about why carrying a blade is illegal and unsafe.
Chief Inspector Pete Frost said knife crime in the county is low but prevention remains essential. “Knife crime is low in Hertfordshire, and that’s the first message I’d like to get across,” he said. “But it’s really important for me to get these knives off the street. Knives devastate lives.”
Officers are carrying out knife sweeps, detection operations and school visits, and are speaking to shops to ensure knives are not sold to under-18s. Chief Inspector Frost said the force will continue this work beyond the campaign. “We will continue to complete knife sweeps. We will continue to complete knife test purchases to make sure that shops do not sell knives to young people,” he said.
Unwanted knives can be handed in at police stations in Hatfield, Stevenage and Watford, at temporary knife bins around the county, or at permanent bins in Waltham Cross. Chief Inspector Frost encouraged anyone carrying a knife to give it up. “I’d encourage anybody that’s thinking of carrying a knife or carries a knife to hand that in,” he said. “There are no questions asked. We do not carry out any forensic tests on any knives that are handed in. We simply destroy them.”
He said the campaign covers all types of knives. “Whether it’s a kitchen knife or one of these zombie knives that have since been made illegal, we would encourage everyone to hand these in so we can get them off the street,” he said.
The force’s youth engagement work continues throughout the year. “Our Lives Not Knives team engage with young people, both in schools and in the communities, to educate them and divert them away from violent behaviour,” he said. He added that during October, when the Knife Angel visited, officers “engaged with over 7,000 young people,” speaking to them about the dangers of knife crime and how to report violence.
Chief Inspector Frost said that even small steps make a difference. “Any one knife taken off the street is a win because that means we potentially save a life,” he said.