Phase Five of Operation Sceptre, the Met-wide week of action targeting knife crime has been launched today, Monday, 20 June, and will run until Sunday, 26 June. Police activity throughout the week will include weapon sweeps, intelligence-led stop and search, as well as proactive operations to tackle those wanted in connection with knife-related offences and violent crime.
Evidence suggests that this coordinated activity is having a real impact. The number of young people injured by knives was up by 22 per cent in June 2015 but has been steadily decreasing, with 37 fewer victims compared with the previous 12 months.
During previous Sceptre weeks of action, over 3,700 weapon sweeps have been conducted, over 800 weapons have been recovered, hundreds of shops have been visited with Trading Standards to test whether knives are being sold to those aged under 18, and over 1,500 people have been arrested, including 243 for possessing a knife or offensive weapon.
Since last summer, Trident and local police gang crime units have been proactively targeting gang and knife crime as daily business. In coordinated operations utilising Neighbourhood officers, the Territorial Support Group and specialist search officers, we have made nearly 16,000 arrests, seized 771 firearms and over 3,377 knives have been taken off the street.
Other officers from the Trident and Area Crime Command have been delivering educational presentations to young people in schools. The package aims to make young people think about the decisions they make, and the consequences of their actions with the aim of deterring them from joining gangs and getting into a life of crime. In the last 12 months, officers have delivered this educational package to over 14,000 young people across London.
There are a number of knife bins across London and as part of the Met’s effort to take knives off the streets we are working with ‘Words 4 Weapons’ – a charity that has around 30 knife surrender bins located at various sites across London.
A map showing the location of knife bins across London is available.
Also available on the website is advice for those involved in knife crime or concerned for somebody else as well as the experiences of those affected by knife crime.
If you have information about anyone carrying or using knives please contact your local police or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
