A knife arch was placed in Nottingham city centre today (13 November) to stop people bringing bladed weapons into the area as part of Operation Sceptre week.
The national week of action saw uniformed and plain-clothed officers positioned in the Broad Marsh area, with a metal detecting arch set up in Lister Gate.
Several people were searched and drugs were found on two individuals. No weapons were discovered during the lunchtime operation.
Sergeant Jonathan Pothecary, of the City Centre Neighbourhood Policing team, said:
“Officers proactively engaged with numerous members of the public offering reassurance and stopping people coming in and out of the city centre with bladed weapons.
“No one was detected carrying concealed weapons in the operation, which is positive as we don’t want any knives on the streets of Nottingham.
“However, we did catch two males carrying drugs and they will be dealt with accordingly. Illicit drugs are very much linked to knife crime so this was a positive outcome in itself.
“Several members of the public stated that they supported the operation and would like to see more operations of this nature.
“We do have more work planned and the public will continue to see proactive policing operations in the city centre as part of our ongoing work to keep people safe.”
Figures released just before the start of Operation Sceptre showed reports of knife crime in Nottinghamshire had dropped by six per cent in the last 12 months, compared to a four cent rise nationally – with preventative work between the police and its partners in the county contributing to this.
Neighbourhood Inspector Paul Gummer, who leads the City Centre Neighbourhood Policing team, said:
“The reduction in knife crime in Nottinghamshire is good news but we are not complacent and will continue doing everything we can to catch offenders and educate people about the dangers of carrying a knife.
“Op Sceptre is just a snapshot of the ongoing year-round work being carried out as a result of police, partners and local communities all working together to combat the issue.
“In the city centre and around the force, knife arches have proved very effective but they are by no means the only way we tackle knife crime. We also carry out visible patrols in hotspot areas, provide amnesty bins where people can anonymously dispose of unwanted knives and send officers into schools and colleges to teach youngsters about the consequences of knife crime, as we know the importance of early intervention.
“These measures show we are fully committed to taking knives off the streets, but we also need the public’s help. If you have information about knife crime or someone in possession of an offensive weapon, please come forward and speak to us.”
Anyone with information on knife crime in their local community is urged to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always dial 999.
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