338 knives taken off the streets as part of Operation Sceptre in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have joined forces across the country for a knife crime week of action known as Operation Sceptre and recovered 338 knives and made 20 knife-related arrests.

Op Sceptre ran between 11 and 17 November with intensified police operational activity carried out to make communities safer from knife-related crimes. Tackling knife crime and serious violence is a key priority for the Force all year long, however the week of action is an opportunity to intensify efforts.

The Force worked closely with its partners such as the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), educational institutions, local authorities, charities, and youth workers to prevent young people from being drawn into knife crime.

Officers visited 47 schools across the districts with the aim to educate young people on the dangers of knife crime and prevent them from being drawn into serious violence. As part of this, the Force partnered with Yellow Brick Road Projects to carry out educational sessions to raise awareness of the Legacy Project. They invited a motivational speaker called Warren King along with them to talk about their own experiences of knife crime to encourage young people to make the right decisions.

A knife arch was temporarily set up at City College Southampton in the main entrance of the building for students to voluntarily walk through to detect for any items they shouldn’t be carrying. The partnership with South Hampshire College Group provided this opportunity for officers to engage with young people and educate on the laws around knives and offensive weapons. Through education they can be informed of the risks and consequences, as well as dispelling any myths around knife crime.

Knife sweeps were carried out in open spaces across districts to clear them of any discarded or hidden knives. It is also an opportunity to engage with the public and to reassure them. The team in Eastleigh swept the Leigh Road Recreation Ground area with the BID’s Town Rangers.

The Southampton team swept the area in St Mary’s, fortunately no weapons were found during these two operations.

A total of eight knife sweeps were carried out through the week and as a result, two weapons were found.

Permanent knife surrender bins were made available at all front offices last year to provide a safe way for the public to anonymously dispose of any knives or offensive weapons. As part of this Op Sceptre, the knife surrender bins continue to be available to the public, including mobile surrender bins and collections were made by officers, leading to 319 weapons being handed over.

A full list of permanent surrender bin locations can be found here.

A full list of the banned offensive weapons can be found online here.

Tactical Lead for Knife Crime, Acting Inspector Christian Lavin, said: “Efforts have been intensified by officers across the Force during the Op Sceptre week to tackle knife crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, which have made a huge impact. We have worked closely with our partners to maximise opportunities to educate, engage, and prevent knife crime. It’s vital that we are being supported by our partners in health, social care, housing, education, and independent charities as police cannot do it solely by law enforcement alone.

“These figures can seem worrying, but year on year, we are taking more knives off the streets in our communities, which is making a difference as knife-related crimes reduced by 8.6% compared to the last four years.

“We will continue to robustly tackle knife crime with a zero-tolerance approach all year round with our partners to make our communities safer from serious violence. It’s important to remember that very few people carry knives, but if someone you know is carrying a knife you can report it to the police, speak to a trusted family member or teacher, or you can report it anonymously to Crimestoppers.”

To make a report to the police contact 101 or by giving that information anonymously through the independent charity, Crimestoppers or their under 18s service called Fearless, or by calling 0800 555 111.

Any parents and professionals concerned about knife crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight can visit Safe4Me for advice, help and support.