Police vow to step up action on knives

Action is being stepped up in Staffordshire to reduce levels of knife crime, police said today.

Figures released yesterday showed that the neighbouring West Midlands police area was the knife crime capital of the UK outside London.

Staffordshire Police said such crime was rare making up just 0.25 per cent of overall offences. Spokesman Neil Spencer, said that between the beginning of April and the end of June this year the force recorded 40 knife crime offences, which was five fewer than the same period last year.

The figure was in spite of the fact that more types of offences were now being included in the category than just a year ago.

"The crime recording category of 'knife crime' was only introduced in its own right in April 2007. We therefore can't make like-for-like comparisons with previous years.

"Knife crime is low here compared to other parts of the country – especially larger metropolitan areas – and Staffordshire has the second lowest rate amongst its most similar force group."

He said that last year's total of 219 knife offences meant an average of only four a week across an entire county covering 1,048 square miles with a population of more than one million people.

"However, we're not complacent. Incidents in our county are robustly investigated and we are determined to bring offenders to justice," he said.

From the beginning of April to the end of June 105 people have been prosecuted for possession of offensive weapons, including knives, in Staffordshire – exactly the same number as the year before. He said carrying knives on county streets would not be tolerated.

"We will deal firmly with those of the age of criminal responsibility found in possession of a knife in a public place.

"We are committed to educating people about the dangers posed by carrying a knife, and to working in partnership with our partners and communities to tackle knife crime so that our communities are safer.

"Crimes involving knives and similar type weapons not only impact on victims, but their families, friends, neighbours and the local community." A quarter of victims and offenders are aged between 36 and 45.