Hertfordshire Constabulary will conduct an Operation Sceptre week of pro-active knife operations between Monday 13 July and Sunday 19 July.
During the week members of the public will be able to surrender any unwanted knives to the police, anonymously and without fear of prosecution for possession of these items.
Knife-related crime remains lower in Hertfordshire than in other parts of the country, but the amnesty provides an opportunity to remove knives and other weapons from the streets. It will also help to reinforce the message that carrying a knife is illegal and will not help to keep you safe.
During the week, any knives in your possession that you do not want or should not have, can be surrendered at one of the following police stations: Hatfield, Stevenage or Watford. There will also be temporary knife bins in locations around the county and there are permanent surrender bins in Waltham Cross, details of which can be found at www.herts.police.uk/amnesty.
Items can be surrendered anonymously during the amnesty in the knife bins provided, the locations and opening times of these stations can be found at www.herts.police.uk/stations.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, David Lloyd, said: ‘Knife crime is low in Hertfordshire when compared to other parts of the country. But when it does occur it is devastating for the victim and spreads fear through communities.
‘For several years it has rightly been a policing priority and we have programmes in place to target those already carrying knives or at risk of being drawn into that culture.
‘Studies have shown that those who carry knives are much more likely to be injured by them. This amnesty is another vital strand of our strategy to tackle serious youth violence, as every blade removed from the streets reduces the risk of it being used to threaten or injure someone.’
Inspector Nicola Dean from the Crime Reduction Team, who is leading on the operational activity for Operation Sceptre, said: ‘Crime has reduced significantly during lockdown, and we feel that it is a good time to make sure there are less knives in circulation and reiterate the dangers of carrying a knife.
‘We have developed comprehensive plans over the past two years to address knife crime and regular amnesties are part of our wider plans to tackle violent crime. During the week we will be conducting operations to reduce knife-related crime, as well as raise awareness that it is illegal to carry a knife in public and may lead to arrest.
‘The amnesty also provides an opportunity to educate young people about the dangers of carrying a knife and raise awareness amongst local businesses that selling certain knives to anyone under 18 is illegal. As part of a wider campaign officers will be carrying out knife detection and education activities across the county during the week.’
If you are concerned or have information about someone carrying knives or are aware of anyone involved in knife crime you can report this by calling the Hertfordshire Constabulary non-emergency number 101.
You can also report information online at herts.police.uk/report or speak to an operator in the Force Communications Room via online web chat, which can be launched here: herts.police.uk/contact.
Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.
If you would like further information on support services relating to knife crime contact Fearless.org.
During the knife amnesty, you can let police know how you feel they are dealing with knife crime in your local area by answering two quick questions. Simply visit www.bit.ly/herts-knifecrime – all responses are anonymous and may help to contribute towards local initiatives.
