Neighbourhood policing officers ran the campaign throughout March to enable the
public to hand over knives and bladed weapons anonymously and safely at local
police offices.
PC Alan Patterson, based at Consett, said the people of Consett and Stanley
had responded well to the chance to dispose of unwanted knives and added: “Quite
an array of items including 118 knives, two Samuri swords and two axes were
surrendered and will now be safely disposed of.
“Most of these bladed items will have been lying around in people’s houses or
gardens and now they have been handed in the potential for them to find their
way into the wrong hands and onto the streets has been removed. I’d like to
thank the public for their response to this amnesty.”
Supported by the Consett North Partnership and Consett YMCA, the
neighbourhood policing teams will continue to work with local youth groups and
schools to educate on the consequences of carrying offensive weapons.
PC Patterson explained: “It is an offence for any person, without lawful
authority or good reason, to have with them in a public place, any article which
has a blade or is sharply pointed except for a folding pocket-knife which has a
cutting edge to its blade not exceeding three inches.
“However,
certain types of knife are banned, including any knife that has a blade which
opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device
in or attached to the handle of the knife, sometimes known as a ‘flick knife’.
Lock knives are also illegal.”
• If you suspect of anyone of carrying a
knife or an offensive weapon you should tell someone, preferably a police
officer, police community support officer or community warden
• If you are
still at school, tell a member of school staff or a parent
• If you want to
remain anonymous ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
PC Patterson added
that the force takes a robust approach to tackling those carrying knives. Anyone
who is found carrying a knife will be charged, except in extremely exceptional
circumstances, and anyone suspected of using that knife to commit crime will be
charged to appear in court the following day.
He stressed that while the use
of weapons to commit crime is rare in the Consett and Stanley areas a campaign
such as the recent one can only be of benefit to the community.
Source: Durham Constabulary