Sceptre: Tackling knife crime not only through enforcement but education

As forces come together to combine their efforts, build on their existing plans, and raise more awareness around knife crime in the bi-annual week of action, in Greater Manchester the work of our officers is ongoing every day to make our streets safer.

With the focus this month on knife-enabled robbery, seizing knives and bringing those people to justice who decided to carry and sometimes use a knife remains a priority, it is only part of the solution, with our dedicated team Operation Venture working with the whole force and involved coordinated activities with neighbouring forces, schools, local authorities, and community organisations to address issues related to knife-related violence and the illegal possession of knives. Our focus is to support educational elements to the next generation and Navigator pathways to those who need help in moving away from a life they don’t want or need.

Pulling together the resources available to our officers, from boots on the ground patrolling key areas with intelligence to metal detectorists, test purchasing operations and sweeping areas searching for knives, there are several different ways we are tackling knife crime head-on.

Dealing with the accessibility of deadly and intimidating weapons is key and we are doing all we can to reduce how easily they can end up in the wrong hands. The recent ban of ‘zombie-style’ knives and machetes that are clearly designed to intimidate and cause harm, rather than serve any practical purpose, supports us in stopping their manufacture and overall availability.

Whilst knife crime remains a significant threat, within Greater Manchester results show it has stabilised.

There are around 400 incidents a month relating to knife crime, with a quarter directly linked to using a knife as part of a personal robbery. This has seen a slight decrease, from over 100 incidents a month to around 97, over the last 12 months and as a proportion of total knife crime this is also reducing.

Solved rates are higher than usual for knifepoint robberies at 11.5% compared to that of just personal robbery at 9.8%.

This means knife crime overall is also improving in terms of solved outcomes at 15.2%, compared to 12.2% for total crime, demonstrating our ongoing commitment and determination to tackling knife crime.

Since the formation of our Operation Venture team, we have arrested over 700 people linked to knife crime, seized over 200 weapons, referred nearly 350 people to key organisations to prevent further violent crime and are averaging a 40% positive stop search rate. Including seizing over £250,000 and £80,000 worth of drugs as part of the proactive policing element.

Find out more: Over a year of Operation Venture: Making a serious impact on violence in GM | Greater Manchester Police (gmp.police.uk)

Detective Chief Inspector Roger Edwards from the force’s Violence Reduction Unit and part of Operation Venture said: “This week of intense activity is all part of our commitment to reducing knife crime and in particular knife-enabled robbery which is a key element in tackling violence.

“We are working day and night to protect our communities and to tackle this highly traumatic crime which is focused on targeting people on their own looking for usually cash, mobile phones and bags.

“Not just this week, but every day we know knife crime isn’t just down to enforcement with our team embedded into prevention work and linking in extremely closely with the Violence Reduction Unit that makes sure we address the underlying causes.

“Carrying a knife puts your life and the lives of others at risk and our specialised team and officers from across the force are actively targeting those involved in knife crime at there are no positives to carrying a knife.

“We know not every young person carries a knife, but we encourage parents, guardians and extended family members to talk to young members of your family about knife crime. Help raise awareness on how to recognise the signs of knife crime and encourage them to think about the consequences.”

Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Safer and Stronger Communities said: "I am pleased to reiterate my support for Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) Operation Venture team in their efforts to reduce knife crime, bringing those who carry knives to justice and work to prevent people from carrying them in the first place.

"Our Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) commissions programmes and interventions across our city-region to ensure we have a holistic approach to preventing and tackling knife crime and violence affecting young people, by working closely with partners like GMP.

"GMP officers use problem-orientated policing approaches to prevent and tackle violence by using services the VRU commissions. They refer to services such as our Navigators, who support young people who have experienced violence to recover and cope when they present in hospital. By building trust with young people and providing access to local support networks, they help to reduce the potential of further violence.

"It is also important that our approach to reducing knife crime includes a community-led approach, which puts power and decision making in the hands of local people, empowering them to identify local priorities and the types of interventions they would like to see delivered in their community. For instance, all of our Greater Manchester boroughs now have a community alliance in place funded by the VRU, providing free activities for young people to access, ranging from arts, community sports and youth work to mentoring and work in schools, ensuring there are positive options for young people to engage with.

"It is key that these examples of partnership working continue to help keep all of our residents safe."

We all need to work together to combat knife crime and GMP urges anyone with information about knife crime in their local community to report it.

You can report knife crime by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency. You can also make a report via our website at, alongside our Live Chat function: www.gmp.police.uk

To report anonymously, call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via the website: www.Fearless.org – where it enables young people to pass on information about crime 100% anonymously. There’s also lots of help and support available on their website if you're concerned about knife crime.