Police 'keep up the pressure on knife crime' as part of nationwide campaign
Police across the West Midlands have taken to the streets as part of a national campaign to tackle knife crime.
Operation Sceptre is a week-long intensive campaign to raise awareness around youth violence and the devastating impact of carrying knives.
As part of the campaign, officers from West Midlands Police were in action in Birmingham city centre on Tuesday, stopping and searching cars at Hockley Circus for weapons.
It fell on the same day that police announced two further arrests over the fatal stabbing of Kelvin Ward and an arrest for the knife point robbery of a Deliveroo driver in Birmingham city centre.
The two people arrested on suspicion of murder were aged just 17, while the man arrested on suspicion of robbery was 19.
Deputy Chief Constable Scott Green said: "As we continue our week of intensive activity to tackle knife crime, we're out in force in Birmingham to tackle the problem.
"We're pulling over vehicles to be checked and for the drivers to be spoken to about everything from knife crime to driving offences.
"The community has told us they want visible action, and this week is about highlighting that work."
He added: "We're using a range of tactics to collectively tackle knife crime, which can lead to tragedy and misery.
"We're using knife arches to detect weapons, which can be a powerful deterrent to those who are tempted to carry weapons on our streets, as well as carrying out warrants and stop and searches around the region."
The Birmingham knife arch was in operation on Tuesday at Priory Queensway and outside the McDonald's on the ramp leading up to Grand Central.
Deputy Chief Constable Green added: "The knife arch is part of a broad suite of measures that we've got. It's a real preventative measure, it's very visible in our communities.
"We're using that alongside our presence on the streets today, We'll be continuing to be present across all of our communities today and in the future as we continue to talk to and engage with the public, but particularly young people about the dangers of knife crime and the dangers of carrying knives."
Dudley Police says it has arrested three people this week as part of Operation Sceptre, including a 13-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy.
The force said: "We responded to reports of two people attempting to open car doors in Netherton this morning.
"We located the suspects, recovered a knife and arrested two boys, aged 13 and 15, for having an article with a blade or point in a public place. Both are in custody."
While on patrol in Pensnett on Monday evening, the force also arrested a 44-year-old man for possessing a bladed article.
The force said: "On patrol in Pensnett last night, officers stopped a vehicle they suspected had been cloned. A search found a locked knife.
"A 44-yr-old man was arrested for having an article with a blade or point in a public place. He remains in custody. The vehicle was also seized."
As well as carrying out stop and searches and making arrests, officers will be sweeping open spaces for knives, raising awareness around youth violence, paying visits to criminals known to use knives, and carrying out test purchases to identify shops selling blades to youngsters.
A new podcast series is also being launched as part of Operation Sceptre to widen conversations about how to tackle knife crime, called #LetsTalkAboutKnifeCrime.
The force is starting the series by hosting a discussion between three families whose lives have been devastated by knife-related violence.
These families are now working to encourage other young people to help make the region knife free.
Supt Gareth Morris, who leads the response to knife crime in the West Midlands, said: "We’re tackling knife crime using a range of methods, from arrests to education, and Op Sceptre is all about letting the public know what we’re doing.
"Knife crime has a huge impact on communities. We want to educate and inform the public about the dangers of carrying a knife, and dispel misconceptions about knife crime, for example, ‘everyone is carrying a knife’ or that ‘carrying a knife is good for protection’.
"Whatever the reason for carrying a knife it has serious consequences. The use in the heat of the moment may result in serious injury or death and a prison sentence.
"While we’ll be making arrests and carrying out searches to get deadly weapons out of circulation, we know that we can’t do this alone.
"It’s vital that parents and teachers to talk to young people about knife crime so that we can all work together to tackle the root causes of youth violence and make the West Midlands a safer place."
