How specialist team is tackling knife crime in city centre
Nottinghamshire Police’s specialist knife crime team, one of the few operating outside of London, has seized more than 900 knives and other offensive weapons since it was formed eight years ago.
It uses plain-clothed and uniformed patrols on the streets of Nottingham with a remit to seize knives and arrest anyone found carrying one.
Last year alone, the team recovered 73 weapons and made 163 arrests.
Following a series of knife crime incidents in the city centre this spring, much of the team’s efforts have been focused on this area.
Since March, the small team of officers has carried out 805 hours of patrols in the city centre.
Officers have made 37 arrests, carried out 133 stop searches, made 46 drug seizures and recovered 28 weapons.
On a typical shift, the team splits up into a mix of plain clothes and uniformed patrols.
Plain clothes officers patrol on foot around the city while a marked car supports them.
PC Ken Tinley from the team said: “We are always on the look-out for particular things, triggers which alert us to possible knife carriers and other criminal activity.
“Groups of people gathered and behaving suspiciously could be about to meet a drug dealer. We know drug crime goes hand-in-hand with weapon-enabled crime, disorder and other criminality.
“People wearing balaclavas or other face coverings also catch our attention when on patrol.
“We look at mannerisms. Those visibly nervous, fiddling with their waistband or walking uncomfortably could be carrying a knife or other weapon.
“There are also a number of known offenders who are quite few in number so we get to know them.
“All these observations, put together with the intelligence available to us, can help to provide the grounds for a stop and search, which we know are a very effective way to recover both weapons and drugs.
“Stop and search activity can also have a deterrent affect. News gets out if we have stopped someone in a particular area. It can get uploaded onto social media and help to move troublemakers on.
“If they move to areas just outside the city centre we can carry out further enforcement in those areas.”
On a recent patrol, on May 9, the team moved outside the city centre to Radford where they spotted two individuals of interest who ran when approached.
One of the suspects produced a machete and threats were made towards a member of the knife crime team.
Officers worked quickly to arrest the suspect and recover the weapon.
They also seized wraps of heroin following searches.
The second suspect was also arrested after searches found a kitchen knife.
Jordan Bazuna, aged 20, of Constance Street, Nottingham, has been charged with threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place, possession with intent to supply a Class A drug and possession of cannabis.
He was remanded into custody and will appear on June 9 at Nottingham Crown Court.
Another blade was recovered later during a search of a local address.
The following day, on May 10 at around 4.50pm, the team recovered a hunting knife and a lock knife after a stop search in Alfreton Road, Radford.
Jaheim Tyreese Williams, aged 24, of no fixed address, was charged with two counts of possession of a knife in a public place and will appear before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on May 29.
Sergeant Matt Daley, who heads up the team, said: “These incidents are typical of the work we carry out and our patrols are not limited to the city centre.
“Some of the stops we make might not lead to us uncovering knives but by being in the right place at the right time, we’re able to intercept weapons should they be in people’s possession, while also deterring other forms of criminality.
“Our main purpose is to be out and about, be visible and proactive, and disrupt people who are likely to be carrying knives.”
The knife crime team’s patrols in the city have taken place alongside high-visibility policing following the incidents in March.
The patrols led to a reduction in crime across the city centre and were supported by Nottingham City Council’s community protection officers.
Deputy Chief Constable Rob Griffin said: “The knife crime team’s work has been an essential part of our robust and focused response to these incidents in the city centre.
“Tackling knife crime is one of our force priorities and we have been very clear that we will not tolerate those who put themselves and others at risk by carrying these weapons.
“If you come into the city with a knife then you can expect to be seen, stopped, searched and arrested.
“We will then use all the powers at our disposal to make sure you are put before the courts or banned from the city centre.
“Carrying a knife is both reckless and dangerous and there is absolutely no justification whatsoever for you to ever have one in your possession.
“We are working hard alongside our partners to make sure Nottingham is as safe as it possibly can be, so the vast majority of law-abiding citizens can enjoy everything the city has to offer.
“We will not allow the actions of a few to disrupt this.”
Police teams in Nottinghamshire are taking part in a national week of action on knife crime, Sceptre, which begins on Monday (May 19) and lasts until Sunday (May 25).
Throughout the week of action, knife amnesty bins will be situated inside stations, shared services and other locations.