Cumbria Constabulary is holding a week long knife surrender as part of Operation Sceptre, an operation held across forces nationally to tackle knife crime.
The surrender will apply county-wide and will take place between Tuesday 18th and Monday 24th September 2018. During this time members of the public will be able to anonymously hand-in unwanted knives, including knives which are prohibited, to amnesty bins at police station front counters.
Although Cumbria continues to see a lower number of offences than other areas of the UK, 149 offences were recorded during 2017 where a knife or other sharp implement was used to injure or threaten a person. The force also saw 128 possession offences recorded last year.
Superintendent Mark Pannone said: “In recent surrender periods we have seen large numbers of people take the opportunity to make their communities safer by handing in knives.
“Fortunately in Cumbria we do not have a specific knife-crime culture and we continue to see a lower number of incidents than in other areas of the UK. However, there are people who will use knives as part of criminality and I can reassure members of the public that this will not be tolerated.
“Despite the low numbers the Constabulary is not complacent and there is a lot of work that is conducted to reduce the impact knives can have. Officers and PCSOs hold regular sessions with schools and youth groups to educate young people on the danger of knives and also dispel the myth that carrying a knife is good for their reputation.
“Every knife that is handed into police is one less knife that cannot be used in criminality. I would encourage anyone who has a knife that they want to safely dispose of to take this opportunity to do so.”
Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall said: “We have seen the appalling results of knife crime in London and other cities recently with tragic deaths and injuries, no one is a winner and government are looking to increase penalties for those involved. Knife crime destroys lives. There is no circumstance where carrying a knife as a weapon is acceptable and, while some people wrongly perceive that a knife offers them some kind of protection, in reality it only serves to make them more vulnerable while placing those around them at greater risk.
“Every knife surrendered is one less that can cause death, destruction and misery so I hope anyone who owns a knife – young or old – will take this opportunity to surrender their weapon and dispose of it safely.”
Knife surrender bins will be available at the following police stations:
North
- Carlisle
- Penrith (Hunter Lane)
South
- Barrow
- Kendal
West
- Whitehaven
- Workington
Anyone wishing to hand knives in should put them in a box or strong bag. Advice is never attempt to take an uncovered knife out in public and go directly to a designated station when handing in a knife.
To check on opening times please visit: https://www.cumbria.police.uk/Contact-us/Police-DesksStations/Police-Stations.aspx.
