GMP’s response to crime involving knives or weapons has improved over past 12 months

In the 12 months to August 2023, GMP recorded 3,732 knife crimes. This was 668 fewer than the previous year, a reduction of 15.2%.

Wider serious violence offences, which includes robbery and violence with injury, was down to 35,397 incidents, a 4% from the previous 12 months of 37,092.

Operation Venture was set up in December 2022 as GMP’s answer to the threat of serious violence and knife crime. It will continue to tackle serious violence by making arrests and seizing weapons and making partnership referrals where necessary.

From June 1 to August 21 2023, Op Venture made a total of 83 arrests, 71 positive stop searches, 15 weapons seizures, 197 intelligence submissions and 22 disruption visits.

Inspector Jon Ezard, of GMP’s Operation Venture team, said: “What this shows is that Op Venture is working and we are removing more knives off the streets.

“Our dedicated team of officers are using proactive police work; high-visibility patrols, targeted patrols to hotspot locations and community engagement have helped to solidify our connections with local people, who feel safer in reporting knife-related matters to us.

“Renewed Violence Reduction Unit focus and additional investment has been made through Operation Venture with stop search increases and targeting of profiled offenders/hot spots.

“We are continuing public education and engagement programmes by working with people such as Paul McGovern MBE from HMP Manchester, who works within the Prison Community Team which engages with children in local schools to break the cycle of children being peer pressured into local crime gangs and subsequently being imprisoned when they are adults.

“I would like to thank all our partners for working with us and helping us continue to tackle knife crime. This collaborative effort is yielding significant results and statistics and is helping to improve the lives for people in our communities.”

Today (Wednesday 30 August 2023), the Home Office has announced it will be progressing a number of changes to knife crime legislation proposed in consultation with the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) Knife Crime Working Group.

Proposals include:

• A ban on certain types of machetes and knives which seem to have no practical use and seem to be designed to look menacing and suitable for combat.  
• A new police power to seize, retain and destroy lawfully held bladed articles in private premises – this power can be applied only if the police are in the property lawfully already, and have reasonable grounds to believe that the article is to be used in serious crime or serious violence. 
• Increasing the maximum penalty for the offences of importation, manufacture, sale and general supply of prohibited and dangerous weapons and sale of knives to persons under 18-years-old to two years. 
• The Sentencing Council to consider amending the Sentencing Guidelines relating to possession of bladed articles and offensive weapons so that possession of a prohibited weapon is treated more seriously than possession of a non-prohibited weapon.  
• The introduction of a new possession offence of bladed articles with the intention to endanger life or to cause fear of violence.   

NPCC Knife Crime Lead, Commander Stephen Clayman, said: “The proposals in the consultation followed extensive collaboration between the Home Office and the NPCC National Knife Crime working group. Together, we worked to develop practical, sustainable solutions to remove these lethal weapons from our streets. 

“These five proposals will all offer additional robust measures to deal with those who seek to use knives for violence. Ultimately, when used appropriately, they provide a greater means to protect the public and safeguard our communities. 

“Every day as police officers we see first-hand the devastating effects of these deadly weapons on the lives of individuals, particularly young people and we must always look at what action can be taken to prevent access to knives that are used for violence, intimidation and harm. 

“We look forward to working with Government on the next steps for making these proposals a reality, strengthening our fight against knife crime.”