Man, 27, charged after knife and baton seized by police in Dudley town centre

A man is set to appear in court after police seized a knife and an extendable baton during patrols in Dudley town centre.

Officers from West Midlands Police's Project Guardian taskforce were patrolling the town centre on Thursday afternoon and evening (November 5) when they became suspicious of activity in the area.

Following searches, officers recovered a knife and an extendable baton, and a man was arrested.

Jack Palmer, 27, of Dudley, has since been charged with possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and possession of a knife or blade in a public place.

He is due to appear at Dudley Magistrates' Court on December 8.

Project Guardian is a specialist police taskforce set up to tackle knife crime and youth violence across the West Midlands.

The team uses a range of tactics, including plain-clothed operations, high-visibility patrols and engagement with young people, in a bid to reduce knife crime.

Officers regularly patrol crime hotspots across the borough during the day and night, working alongside neighbourhood policing teams.

Anyone who spots suspicious activity is urged to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.