People in Cumbria can hand in unwanted knives to police stations anonymously this week.
Operation Sceptre is part of a national drive to tackle knife crime and stop potentially dangerous blades falling into the wrong hands.
The surrender will apply countywide and runs from today until Sunday.
During this time, people will be able to anonymously hand in unwanted knives, including those that are prohibited, to surrender bins at police station front counters.
Police officers will also be talking to retailers to educate them around knife crime and the selling of knives.
Chief Inspector Ben Swinson said: “Fortunately, in Cumbria we do not have a specific knife crime culture and we continue to see a lower number of knife related incidents than in other areas of the UK.
“Operation Sceptre give the public the opportunity to hand in any unwanted and potentially dangerous blades from our county.
“We will not be complacent on this issue although our number are low knife crime is a serious offence and every knife that is handed in to us is one less knife that can be used to hurt somebody – or worse take their life.
“I would encourage anyone who has a knife that they want to safely dispose of to take this opportunity to do so.”
Last year, up to 49 people were admitted to hospital with stab wounds.
NHS Digital suppresses small numbers to protect victims’ identities, but data shows there were between seven and 49 hospital admissions in Cumbria following an assault with a sharp object in 2020.
Four admissions were for under-25s, while 35 were for those older. This was compared to between 10 and 70 the year before.
Across England and Wales, there were 4,100 hospital admissions after attacks involving a sharp object last year, down from 4,800 in 2019.
Cumbria Constabulary recorded 210 offences involving a knife or a sharp weapon in 2019-20, Office for National Statistics data shows.
Ninety-seven were reported in 2012-13, when comparable records were first published.
There were roughly 42 knife or sharp weapon offences per 100,000 people in Cumbria last year – up from 19 per 100,000 seven years earlier.
You can surrender knives anonymously at the following stations:
- Durranhill Station, Carlisle
- Hunter Lane Station, Penrith
- Workington
- Whitehaven
- Barrow
- Kendal
Police are urging anyone wishing to bring knives or weapons for destruction should wrap them up or put them in boxes to make sure they are safely transported.
People can call 101 for further advice.
