Weapons amnesty boost in bringing down knife crime
ALL AREAS: Thames Valley Police has joined a one-week nationwide knife amnesty designed to challenge and reduce the threat of knife crime across the region.
Operation Spectre started on Monday to Sunday, May 22, and provides members of the public an opportunity to dispose of any type of knife or bladed article safely and anonymously.
The aims of the operation are to remove dangerous weapons from the streets, reduce knife crime and raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of carrying a knife. Residents can dispose of their knives at a number of locations across the Thames Valley, including at Slough and Maidenhead police stations.
Speaking to the Advertiser, TVP Chief Constable John Campbell said education was a key focus during the operation.
He added: “It’s not a yearly thing; we run it at various times across the force for a week or so, and what we have in effect education as one aspect of it, making sure that we’re going into schools where we can and educating young people across the force area. And then we have activity in and around enforcement so proactive patrols around hotspot areas as well.
“We have a knife amnesty with people handing in knives and weapons that people don’t want themselves or also don’t want to get into criminal hands as well, so that takes that opportunity away from potential offenders.
“It’s a pretty successful operation in truth. As I say that’s definitely contributed to the work the force has done – serious violence is down nine per cent across the whole of TVP.
“It’s not enough, we want
[the reduction] to be more and we want to keep bringing it down, but it’s going in the right direction.”
Berkshire knife amnesty bins are located at Maidenhead and Slough police stations, as well as Loddon Valley, Reading and Newbury.
If you have any information about the possession of knives or criminal activity, report on the TVP website or call 101.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.