Two men charged as knuckle duster and knife seized in Dudley town centre
The two men were arrested as part of a day of patrols in Dudley town centre.
Two people found themselves in handcuffs, and a knife and knuckle duster were seized as part of patrols in Dudley.
On September 7, the Dudley Central neighbourhood team from West Midlands Police were joined by the Guardian Taskforce to carry out both uniformed and plain clothed patrols in the town centre.
Utilising their stop and search powers, the officers made two arrests for weapon offences.
A 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has since been charged with possession of a knife in a public place.
He has been released on bail and next due to appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court on September 23.
Another man, aged 20, has also been charged with possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
He will appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court on October 28.
Dudley East Inspector Miles Patterson, whose teams police the town centre, said: “Carrying out proactive patrols like this is something my teams are doing regularly, sometimes in full uniform but other times like last Monday in plain clothes.
“So you may not always see us, but we are out there and listening to the community’s concerns.
“Part of our role is to listen and act on issues that are raised to us or that are seen through trends in crime being reported to us.
“Last week was a successful operation for the neighbourhood and Guardian team and resulted in dangerous weapons being taken off the streets and two people being charged.
“It’s also important we have that visible presence in the town centre and are out engaging and speaking to residents to explain the work we’re doing, answer any queries and to show we’re there to help.”
The neighbourhood team were back out on patrol the following day, joined by the Mounted Unit and police horses Belgravia and Bruce to conduct high-visibility reassurance patrols.
The team spent time talking to business owners and engaging with residents going about their day answering questions and assisting with any concerns, while also stopping for photos with the public and to say hello.