Kent Police officers will be working to prevent and reduce knife crime across the county as part of a national week of action.
Operation Sceptre is taking place from Monday 15 November to Sunday 21 November 2021 and will see a range of measures used to detect those carrying knives and recover potential weapons.
Officers will work in areas such as parks, town and city centres and railway stations as part of a campaign which also involves partner agencies including local authorities and the British Transport Police.
Knife crime
Schools around the county will also be visited as part of Kent Police’s commitment to educating young people about the dangers of carrying weapons and tackling the causes of knife crime.
Joint activities will also be carried out with Kent Trading Standards to engage with local retailers and the public to ensure they are aware of the laws around selling knives.
These include the Offensive Weapons Act 2019, which came into force in July this year and makes it illegal to possess certain dangerous weapons even in private.
Detective Superintendent Shaun White said: ‘Kent Police works to keep communities safe from harm every day of the year and the work that will be carried out across the county this week is aimed at further reducing the risk of violence from knife crime.
‘Knife crime remains relatively low in Kent compared with other areas of the country, but we are determined to make clear that it will not be tolerated in the county and offenders will be brought to justice.
‘We are also committed to educating people, particularly young people, that carrying a knife puts you at greater risk of becoming a victim and will lead to a criminal record and potentially serious punishment if caught.’