Anti-knife crime charity hopes amnesty will breathe new life into Cambridgeshire youngsters
Police are holding a weapons amnesty all week
Last updated 13th Nov 2023
A charity which teaches young people about the dangers of knife crime hopes an amnesty in Cambridgeshire will help youngsters start afresh.
Cambridgeshire Police is holding a weapons amnesty from today, where people can hand in knives and other items without being prosecuted.
In the county, police reported knife possession offences have dropped by 5% in the last year, with almost 300 weapons handed into the force at the last amnesty in May.
Last November, more than 60 weapons were handed into police in Cambridgeshire.
Patrick Green is the CEO of the Ben Kinsella Trust:
"They offer people the opportunity to safely dispose of knives, but also offer those who've carried knives the chance to turn over a new leaf and to live knife-free, which is a massive positive," he said.
"We've seen large numbers of knives being handed in safely; we're talking thousands of knives and as part of a longer-term strategy which includes education, knife amnesties play a significant role in taking knives off our streets."
What is the amnesty about?
The week-long amnesty will allow people to drop off their weapons, including knives, knuckledusters and extendable batons at Thorpe Wood Police Station in Peterborough and Parkside police station in Cambridge.
There will also be amnesty bins at Gladstone Park Community Centre, Bourges Boulevard, Peterborough on 14th November from 10am until 12pm and the Community Hub in Pathfinder Way, Northstowe, South Cambridgeshire on 19th November from 12pm – 2pm.
It's part of the national 'Operation Sceptre' week of action, which aims to raise awareness of knife crime and action that's being taken to tackle it.
It will also include extra police patrols in particular areas, targeting those believed to be carrying knives, work in schools and with retailers selling knives.
The amnesty is also part of ‘Operation Guardian’, Cambridgeshire Police's strategy to tackle knife crime in the county.
"We need to do more to stop knife crime"
"We're seeing social media posts which glorify carrying knives which desensitises young people to violence; that's why we need to do far more to stop knife crime," Mr Green said.
"It's down to all of us to talk to our young people to try and keep them safe.
"Parents are our biggest ally in tackling knife crime; having those conversations with your children and helping them understand the dangers of knife crime is so important."