Police in Hampshire arrest nearly 50 people in knife crime campaign
More than 200 knives also recovered
Police made 48 arrests and recovered 213 knives in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, as part of Operation Sceptre; in a continuing effort to tackle knife crime.
Twelve knives were taken off the streets and eight arrests were made (7 of these knife-related offences) following 63 stop and searches.
In an effort to tackle violence on the streets and to deter those from carrying knives temporary surrender bins were available throughout the week of action, with 164 knives and bladed items handed in anonymously.
During the week, members of the neighbourhood policing teams joined partner agencies to hold community engagement events across the county; some of these involved talks by ex-offenders sharing their lived experiences. Weapon sweeps in parks and open spaces were conducted with the support of metal detection groups. Education workshops were given at secondary schools and licensing teams visited retailers in efforts to check and ensure they are legally compliant and supporting the Police approach by not selling knives to Under 18s.
Chief Inspector John Halfacre, lead for knife crime in Force, said:
“During this week our activities continued the work we’ve been carrying out with our partners agencies, to not only tackle knife related offending but also to ensure the next generation understands the risks of carrying a knife through engagement, education, prevention and enforcement.
“It is important to remember that most of us do not carry knives and will probably never be affected by knife crime – which is why we must dispel the myths around carrying a knife to help prevent anyone picking one up in the first place.
“We want to make it clear that carrying a knife really doesn’t make you safer, it can be used against you, it’s also illegal and can potentially result in prison sentence and puts yours and others lives at risk.
“Education and prevention are key, and our officers and staff have continued to work hard across the county, visiting schools, retailers, and licensed premises and holding community events to talk about the dangers and raise awareness of knife crime.
“However we will take a robust action against those who break the law as the results have shown, and just as this week is over, our work is ongoing as we proactively tackle this type of violent offending.”
You can find more information on knife crime at www.Fearless.org