Record number of arrests made by knife crime reduction unit

The force’s Operation Jemlock team is now planning more initiatives for this autumn after achieving its highest number of summer arrests ever.

This, together with extra proactive policing and knife crime prevention work, has resulted in fewer people being victims of crime, said West Yorkshire Police.

Between July and the end of September, Operation Jemlock officers made a total of 657 arrests, the highest number made in the summer period since the unit was formed five years ago.

During the summer the team carried out additional patrols in more than 200 locations across West Yorkshire, “significantly increasing the chances of catching those committing crime, carrying weapons and engaged in anti-social behaviour”.

These patrols and increased arrests resulted in a 12 per cent reduction in crime across these locations and a 16 per cent reduction in anti-social behaviour.

Overall, 256 fewer people were victims of crime in hotspot areas in September 2024 than in August 2023, the force said.

Operation Jemlock officers have now made more than 11,500 arrests since 2019, the year the team was formed to reduce serious violent crime, including offences involving knives and bladed weapons.

A total of 481 dangerous weapons, including knives, machetes and knuckle dusters, have been seized so far this year with more than 2,400 taken to date.

Chief Inspector James Kitchen, force lead for Operation Jemlock, said: “Operation Jemlock officers have continued to work extremely hard over the summer months carrying out thousands of hours of additional foot and mobile patrols in areas identified as hotspots for violence, knife crime and anti-social behaviour.

“Those patrols and our proactive policing work have seen the team make significant numbers of arrests and weapons seizures, helping to reduce crime and incidents”

“We are confident that our data-driven, evidence-based approach is putting officers in the right places, at the right times to have the greatest impact of increasing the likelihood of offenders being caught and ensuring that communities feel safe.

“I hope that these latest results reassure the public, that we listen to our communities and act on the information and intelligence that they provide.

“Our enforcement operations and patrols will continue into the autumn and winter, utilising new tactics and new technologies to target those minority of individuals who cause harm.

“We will continue to work closely with or partners understanding the need for early intervention and long term solutions, however we will continue to focus on putting officers on the streets where our communities want them to be.”

The police operations to reduce knife offending have been supported by partners including the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP).

Established in 2019, it takes a preventative public health-led approach to reducing serious violence. The VRP has led innovations such as virtual reality programmes to tackle knife crime, as well as funding other community interventions.

Between 2023-24 it has reached more than 25,000 young people under 24, while engaging with more than 800 aged 25 and over. It has also trained nearly 400 professionals.

Detective Chief Superintendent Lee Berry, director of the West Yorkshire Violence VRP, said: “Day in, day out we are delivering an intervention portfolio that is changing the futures of hundreds of children and young people across West Yorkshire.

“Prevention has to be the cornerstone of our approach, complemented by the enforcement activities of Op Jemlock.

“Together we are ensuring that our communities remain safe, protecting the most vulnerable and at the greatest risk of harm.”