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Operation Blunt
Police across the capital are again clamping down on knife crime with the latest phase of Operation Blunt, the ongoing London-wide police initiative, which saw such great success in Bexley Borough last year.
The project, which runs from 7th until 27th May, will see Bexley Police using a range of tactics designed to stamp out the carrying of knives on our streets.
Police will be making use of the latest technology such as roadside ‘automatic number plate readers’ to target known criminals. The borough’s Safer Transport Team have been making a positive impact on our buses since the launch of the new teams in February and for this operation they will be joined by additional officers using hand-held metal detectors.
Officers will be patrolling in plain clothes and carrying high visibility patrols.
The borough’s Safer Neighbourhoods Policing Teams and Schools Officers will be working with schools and local communities to help educate and divert young people away from carrying knives and steer them towards meaningful pursuits.
Knife-enabled crime accounts for only a small proportion of London’s total crime but the effect on victims can be devastating. Those who choose to jeopardise there own safety and the safety of others by carrying knives can face up to four years imprisonment.
Those convicted will receive a criminal record, which will impact upon their lives in many different ways, such as getting a job or travelling to certain foreign countries. A person who may be tempted to carry a knife to impress friends or as a fashion accessory or for ‘self defence’ should think very carefully about the far-reaching consequences of their actions.
Borough Support Unit Inspector Steve Duffy said, “Bexley continues to enjoy one of the lowest knife-enabled crime rates in London and our community can quite rightly expect a robust stance against those carrying such lethal weapons”.
He added, “The reality is, if you carry a knife you are actually far more likely to become the victim because there is always someone stronger with the ability to take a knife away and potentially use it against you. Claiming you are carrying a knife for your own protection is unacceptable.”
Inspector Duffy emphasised that far from criminalising people it was his intention to prevent people from carrying knives in the first place. “As always in Bexley we are working closely with our partners and we aim to steer young people away from knife culture through our Safer Schools Officers.”
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