Knife crime increases in Scotland as force curbs stop and search campaign

Knife crime rose by 7% last year as Police Scotland curbed their controversial stop and search programme.

Blades were used, or found by police, 2092 times – almost half the number found 10 years ago.

However, it is the second year in a row the figure has gone up, suggesting a trend.

The rise can be revealed days after Scots police were hailed by colleagues in London for dramatically cutting knife crime.

The figures from 2016 cover the period when the number of street searches was dropping after the national force was accused of breaching human rights legislation for frisking thousands of Scots, some as young as seven.

A new formal code was introduced in May, 2017.

In 2010, police made 145,600 unjustified stop-searches. Under-14s were searched 24,000 times.

Calum Steele, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said: “The police service didn’t help itself when it came to its reputation of stop and search, and no greater critic could be found of that approach than the SPF.

“Even advocates who proposed a change to stop and search never addressed the deterrent aspect.

“It’s no surprise instances of those caught carrying knives are increasing.

“Those who argued against stop and search have pointed to a high rate of searches being unsuccessful.

“Those in the Police Service would argue searches not resulting in finds are evidence it is working because people are not carrying knives.”

In the first six months after the new code came in north of the Border in May, 2017, figures showed 17,446 encounters with police officers involved a frisk, compared to 24,210 during the equivalent six-month period of the previous year.

Scotland’s previous success in cutting knife crime, including the use of stop and search, was hailed by commentators in London last week as the capital faces a spate of murders.

More than 50 killings have been reported in London already this year, with two boys arrested this week after an 18-year-old man was stabbed to death in a street in the east of the city.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick came to Glasgow last month to hear about Police Scotland’s work in the city once known as the stabbing capital of Europe.

A Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) was formed in 2005 to target knife crime.

Police Scotland’s Superintendent Ian Thomson said: “We recognise the importance of tackling violence including the carrying of weapons.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “While violent crime is down 44% since 2007-08 and handling offensive weapons offences have been reduced by almost two thirds, ministers are clear there is no room for complacency.

“A wide-ranging approach to knife crime is required.”