One person was arrested and more than 200 knives were taken off the streets of Bristol and the wider Avon and Somerset region during Operation Sceptre. The operation took place from May 13 to May 19 as part of a nationwide campaign by the National Police Chief’s Council to deter people from carrying knives through “prevention, disruption and community engagement”.
Across the week, officers from Avon and Somerset Police took part in weapon sweeps, school visits and installing a new bleed kit alongside promoting the surrender of knives and dangerous weapons. The force also took to Reddit in two online ‘Ask me Anything’ sessions which saw 71 questions answered.
In total, 234 knives were recovered from seven weapon surrender bins during the week and one knife-related arrest was made by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU), seizing one knife. Seventy-three weapon sweeps were conducted in crime hotspots with four knives recovered and eight stop-and-searches were made, seizing two more knives, and two search warrants were carried out where two more knives were found, meaning 243 knives were seized.
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Elsewhere in the week, 42 community engagement and awareness events were held, 53 school engagements which delivered knife crime awareness sessions were undertaken and a new bleed kit in Castle Park was installed . Six visits to young people linked to carrying knives were made and 43 retailer visits were taken to advise around laws and safety involving knife sales.
Chief Inspector Mike Vass, knife crime lead for Avon and Somerset Police, said: “This week of action has seen some exceptional results, but it is important to stress that addressing the issues of knife carrying and serious violence is a year-round effort which relies on the support of our communities and partners.
"Our bleed kit and knife surrender campaigns are two fantastic examples of this partnership work, while the investment in educational initiatives being delivered through the Violence Reduction Partnership is another essential element in helping to deter people from becoming involved in serious violence.
“Our key focus throughout is on the drive to encourage young people to stop carrying knives in public, by tackling the misconception that people need to arm themselves to be safe. In reality, we know that very few people carry a knife, but to that tiny minority, and any young person who is considering taking a knife out onto the streets with them, I’d urge you not to do this. Not only is it illegal, but it actually places you at far greater risk of being injured.”
The SWROCU was also in action, working with Border Force to crack down on the importing of illegal weapons. Three visits were made in Avon and Somerset, and 15 overall in the South West, to people who bought weapons online.
Cease and desist notices were issued, demanding that the illegal activity must stop immediately, and as a result, it saw one person arrested and released on bail. Police said that of those who were visited, many did not realise the weapons bought, which included flick knives, karambits, butterfly knives and swords, were illegal and one case saw a young person purchase a weapon without the knowledge of a parent.
SWROCU DI Lucy Edgeworth, who sits on the National Knife Crime Working Group, said: “SWROCU is committed to tackling the importation of illegal knives into the South West by working closely with Avon and Somerset Police and partners to offer advice and assistance and to disrupt this area of criminality.
“The devastation caused by knife crime continues to fracture our communities and destroy lives. I urge parents to have conversations with their children, to search rooms and bags and to know what knives are in your kitchen as they are the most common weapon used to cause serious injury in the UK.”
Together for Change
Knife crime has had an unprecedented effect on Bristol, and earlier this year Bristol Live launched the “Together for Change'' campaign to try and prevent more lives being lost. We are working with local media, charities, community leaders and organisations to do what we can to make Bristol a safer place for everyone.
In 2023, Bristol Live reported an incident involving a knife at least once a week on average. Sadly as well as the lives knife crime has taken, it has shattered the lives of friends, families and the communities they live in.
In the year ending September 2023, police recorded 27,846 ‘possession of an article with a blade or point’ offences in England and Wales. Teenagers remain over twice as likely to be fatally stabbed than they were 10 years ago according to police statistics.
Two surrender bins were recently installed on Stapleton Road, below the railway bridge, and in Brunswick Square, St Pauls, whilst many feel that harsher sentencing is required for people caught with a knife. Young people told Bristol Live that they “ don’t know where to turn to for help ” and that others are “ scared and wary ” of one another when going to school.
Avon and Somerset Police are also educating young people and children on the dangers of carrying a knife and on how to use a bleed kit. Police hope that up to 12,000 children, as young as nine, will be trained on how to use bleed kits each year. Police denied that this was scaremongering.
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