Knife amnesty launched by Essex Police
Weapons can be disposed of at 14 different amnesty bins across the county
Last updated 11th May 2022
Essex Police have launched a knife amnesty across the county, with amnesty bins placed across 14 different sites.
The amnesty allows for anyone to get rid of bladed weapons without fear of being arrested or prosecuted.
Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Clayton Ford, of Essex Police's Serious Violence Unit, told us the aim is to take weapons off the streets, to prevent future violence: "Essex is really safe place to live and work you're very unlikely to be involved in a knife incident.
"The knife amnesty gives the community a chance to get involved in keeping it that way and making sure that Essex remains a really safe place."
A new bin has been installed outside Grays police station, with other bins refreshed using artwork designed by local secondary school pupils.
In Thurrock, the work of Rachida, 12, from the Hathaway Academy has been printed on the container whilst in Southend, Dexter 11, of Eastwood Academy, will appear.
Elsewhere in Essex, the work of Bethany 13, of the Cornelius Vermuyden School, can be seen.
T/DCI Ford said it was important to engage people from a young age: "The point of the amnesty is to engage the community and use it as a way to educate our young people around the consequences and dangers of carrying a knife.
"We also really want to appeal to those that are out there carrying knives and weapons in the misguided belief that it will offer them some kind of defence or help should they encounter somebody else with a knife.
"We've seen time and time again the consequences of that and too many lives have been lost across Essex. It just takes a second to put the knife in the bin and prevent any sort of issues going forward."
He also wanted to reassure the public that projects like these do work: "I've personally counted knives from a knife bin and have been amazed at how many knives and weapons and other sharp objects were in there.
"Last year we did a count, using a representative sample and based on the weight of the items placed in there, and found the bins took over 30,000 knives and sharp objects off the streets, so it's really good, legitimate way of getting rid of the knives."
T/DCI Ford continued, saying:
"We put significant effort into tackling knife crime including ‘hotspot’ policing, intelligence gathering, using knife arches, and utilising additional powers such as dispersal orders and Section 60 powers, which are an extension of the stop-and-search activity which takes place every day.
“Thankfully, knife enabled crime is falling across Essex; in the year 2019/2020 – the best year with which to compare given the impact of covid – there were 1,881 offences recorded. In 2021/2022, 1,629 offences were recoded – a drop of 13 per cent.
“But we aren’t resting on our laurels. Knife crime and violence is not an issue the police can tackle alone, and we work with partners to address it.
“A key focus is to help divert people who are involved in, or at risk of being involved in, knife and violent crime away from this lifestyle and into areas as sports, education, volunteering, rehabilitation.
“This is a battle that we as a community must fight together."