180 arrests across West Yorkshire in knife crime reduction action
Scores of weapons sweeps were also conducted and schools visited as part of the force’s participation in last week’s national Sceptre initiative and related Knife Crime Week of Action
As part of a national initiative to reduce knife crime West Yorkshire Police have made 180 arrests.
Operation Sceptre has seen officers from each district conduct knife sweeps and raise awareness in schools.
A total of 30 bladed weapons were recovered.
Scores of weapons sweeps were also conducted and schools visited as part of the force’s participation in the Knife Crime Week of Action.
Officers from each policing district in West Yorkshire took part in Sceptre, during which police conducted 55 knife sweeps in parks, fields, green spaces and in urban centres.
Recovered weapons included knives and a sword seized by officers from the Batley and Spen NPT during the execution of a warrant in Batley.
High visibility patrols were also conducted in 66 identified knife crime hotspots with Knife Search Poles deployed in bus stations and other transport hubs by the Safer Travel Team.
Chief Superintendent Lee Berry of the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership, said:
“This May’s Sceptre has seen police and our partners make nearly 200 arrests but also engage with hundreds of children, really illustrating our ongoing twin track approach to reducing knife crime in West Yorkshire.
“Proactive policing operations in which officers take positive action against criminals are of course hugely important, but so, of course, is our longer term work to dissuade young people from carrying knives in the first place.
“I hope residents have been reassured by all of the highly visible action which has taken place in our communities.
"Our work to reduce knife offending remains ongoing week in and week out.
“Anyone who has information about persons carrying knives or the illegal sale of them is urged to contact either their local neighbourhood policing team or the independent Crimestoppers charity.”
Officers from the team deployed the state-of-the-art search equipment to reassure commuters and deter criminals from carrying blades on the transport network.
As part of engagement work, police also visited 43 schools in total to carry out awareness inputs and attended at other community settings popular with young people, including a boxing club.
In one operation at Kirklees College, officers from the Huddersfield Town Centre Team engaged with almost 300 students.
Officers in Bradford District also carried out operations across Bradford City centre including the use of search poles, engagement events, and arrest operations.
Other key projects also included test purchase activity by Police Cadets to see if retailers were willing to sell knives to persons who were under age.
In Calderdale, Cadets visited 25 stores and identified only one where staff were willing to sell knives without carrying out age checks.
Sceptre in West Yorkshire was once again supported by the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP), led by the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin.
Since its inception in 2019, the VRP has delivered vital interventions across communities, reaching over 15,630 young people under 25, 1,234 adults, and training 477 professionals in 2024/25 alone.
West Yorkshire’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Alison Lowe OBE said:
“This is a vital part of our collective ambitions on knife crime here in West Yorkshire.
“Tackling serious violence sits at the heart of the Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan, and by aligning our preventive strategies with the enforcement work of the Police, we can really help change attitudes and behaviours.
“This dedicated awareness week offers just a window into the ongoing partnership work taking place, day in day out, to keep our communities safe, just and inclusive.”