Driving down knife crime in Essex
This week we saw a large number of specific operations being carried out across the county, as part of Operation Sceptre Week.
This included the use of knife arches and more sophisticated ‘Open Gate’ devices, both of which detect weapons. The force now has use of a number of Open Gate systems, which are easily transportable and can be quickly deployed anywhere in the county.
Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex and Chair of the Violence and Vulnerability Partnership, said:
“Operation Sceptre is about tackling knife crime on our streets, seizing weapons and disrupting criminal activity. It is also, crucially, about education and awareness. It is about helping young people understand the dangers of carrying a knife and helping parents to spot the signs their child may be at risk.
“Every knife we seize could mean a life saved, every child we speak to spreads the message that it’s safer not to carry a knife. We know our children and communities in Essex are concerned about knife crime and the more education and enforcement that we can do the more we will reduce knife crime and the devastation it has on young people and families.”
Read more here: This week’s update from your Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex (govdelivery.com)
