[/align]This would be funny if it weren't true, and sad to boot. I thought it was interesting.[/align][/align]
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Tackling Knives Action Plan - Lancashire

11 December 08
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Superintendent Richard Spedding, the Constabulary’s lead on knife crime said: Lancashire being chosen as one of the ten forces by the Government has allowed us to develop our approach especially around the areas of prevention, enforcement and education and over the last six months have carried out a lot of work to tackle the issue.
“As a force, we recognise that knife crime is a growing problem in society and we are committed to proactively tackling this issue. We also recognise that we cannot tackle this on our own and we have developed excellent working relationships with groups like the NHS, trading standards, education, local and county councils and most importantly the public.
“In order to prevent knife related crime, we have to remove knives from the streets and stop people from carrying and using knives and bladed instruments to either cause harm or make threaten harm. Our neighbourhood policing teams are out spreading the message to people and community leaders about the dangers of carrying weapons. We would urge people to contact us or Crimestoppers if they know or suspect that people are arming themselves with a weapon.
“We have also looked at ways to break the chain and target people who are most vulnerable; those that are likely to carry knives. About a year ago a team of officers, working with the North West Ambulance Service, delivered a presentation to teenagers about the dangers of carrying knives. The success of Be Sharp Think Sharp has been superb and we have now rolled this out across the County to over 18,000 pupils.
“Ultimately, attitudes have to change and people have to take responsibility. Parents and peers have a role to play too in telling making sure young people do not carry weapons, let alone use them.
“We are also sensibly using stop and search powers to remove knives from the street (58 since April) along with the use of knife arches and search wands predominantly in city centres during busy periods.
“I would like to reassure the public that as a force, Lancashire is totally committed to tackling and reducing knife related incidents in the County and our message to people is always simple. Don’t carry knives, don’t use them illegally."
Below is a list of some of the schemes and initiatives that are taking place.

[ul][*]“Be Sharp Think Sharp” programme which is being rolled out across the county is making excellent progress, to date 89 secondary schools have had the joint working presentation by ARV and the Ambulance Service, 18,000 pupils have received this input. [/ul]
[ul][*]A Media Campaign around Knife related incidents and Domestic Violence is to be launched mid December, focusing heavily on third party reporting. [/ul]
[ul][*]Eastern Division in Accrington have carried out their first Flood Lit TKAP operation where by a key message was projected onto a building, complimented by a Metal Arch and a police presence (see attached photo) An informal questionnaire was carried out on 100 people and 76% of people questioned stated they felt safer. Another operation is planned for the 19th of December to coincide with pupils breaking up from School; key partners will be present to provide appropriate interventions. [/ul]
[ul][*]Western Division together with Trading Standards have completed 38 test purchase visits (controlled use of children to test whether retailers will sell them knives) to retailers where in total 17 knives were sold. The first operation was in Sept had a 88% failure rate followed up by a further operation in November where the failure rate had improved to only 33%. [/ul]
[ul][*]Preston has recently carried out a similar operation where they issued letters to 15 retailers prior to the Test Purchase operation and had only 2 sales. Western and Preston have further planned Test Purchase Operations planned for December and January 2009. [/ul]
[ul][*]A total of well over 60,000 people have either passed through knife arches or inspected by wands with arches and wands regular ‘tools’ to divisional Nightsafe operations. [/ul]
[ul][*]Stay Safe Be Safe initiative – Central Division have completed 6 operations, 42 young persons were placed into Police Protection all of which were given a case conference and 22 out of those generated further actions by other agencies. [/ul]
[ul][*]Regarding those arrested for being in possession of a bladed instrument, we have an 83% detection rate and 57% rate for charging. [/ul]
[ul][*]Eastern division are commissioning a survey of all secondary school pupils regarding their experience of knife crime. This will compliment work ongoing in Preston. [/ul]
[ul][*]The next round of the Lancashire Police Authority WAVE opinion survey (new year) will also include questions regarding knife crime. [/ul][/align][/align][/align][/align]

 

And you don't need to register a knife either. Who'd a thought?

 

Seeand some people thinkwe onlyhave gun problems over here.

 

Shhh, you'll wake *them* up.