Sussex Police support national knife crime awareness week

This week marks the launch of a national week of action against knife crime across the country.

Operation Sceptre will be running from 11th-17th of March and Sussex Police have organised a series of events and educational seminars to continue conversations around the dangers and repercussions of carrying knives.

Sussex Police plan to visit schools, colleges and youth events as part of the action week. They will be talking to young people about how to act if they feel pressure to carry a knife, and what to do if they feel in danger.

As well as educational events police will be working alongside the British Transport Police with targeted patrols across the county and test purchasing operations to check stores are not selling knives to under 18's.

Police stations across Sussex, including John Street Station here in Brighton, will have knife amnesty bins where people can dispose of knives without any questions being asked.

The week is being supported by Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne. She said: “Getting killed or ending up with life changing injuries or a prison sentence because of knife crime is not a choice anybody would rationally make, but far too many young people are putting themselves at risk by choosing to carry a knife.

“The Operation Sceptre campaign will raise awareness of these dangers and provide opportunities for young people to discuss what might motivate them to carry a knife.

“I hope that the recent media coverage of families devastated by knife crime will encourage people to use the amnesty bins across the county and take unnecessary blades off our streets. Lose the knife, not your life.”

To find out more about the campaign please visit the Sussex Police site.