Met roll out next phase of Operation Blunt
In its efforts to tackle knife crime in London, the Metropolitan Police Service has launched the second stage of Operation Blunt.
In its efforts to tackle knife crime in London, the Metropolitan Police Service has launched the second stage of Operation Blunt.
Met officers, including safer neighbourhood teams from all 32 boroughs are employing a number of tactics that form a long-term strategy to combat knife crime. They will be operating search arches and hand-held detectors at transport hubs and licensed premises across the capital.
A spokesperson for the Met said: High-visibility patrols are operating in knife hotspots, and test purchases are to be carried out with the assistance of trading standards. Police will also deploy automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems. During the three-weeks of sustained activity, which began last week, police are operating search arches across London.
One stage of the operation involves officers working with colleagues from British Transport Police at various locations including Clapham Junction. We know that those who carry knives use transport links to move around London. The operation at Clapham is one of a variety of tactics being deployed across the capital and is being rolled out to other stations and locations so as to prevent people travelling with offensive weapons, the spokesperson added.
Superintendent Chris McDonald, operational lead for Blunt, said: “It is a sad fact that many young people continue to carry knives either as a fashion accessory or because they feel that it will offer them protection. However, the stark reality is that every week teenagers become victims of knife crime. The national amnesty is over, people have had a chance to dispose of their knives. If anyone is caught carrying a knife by police, we will arrest them and put them before the courts.”
Operation Blunt was launched in November 2004 across 12 London boroughs, and underlines the Met`s approach to tackling knife crime. The initial roll out of the operation led to a reduction in the number of knife-enabled offences following a range of initiatives, including educational programmes, knife surrenders and a positive charge strategy.
It was further rolled out to all 32 boroughs in December 2005, the first time that every London borough had simultaneously targeted knife crime.