MORE THAN 550 knives have been handed into police amnesty bins since the start of UK lockdown Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has announced. 

In February, officers  from GMP’s Violence Reduction Unit placed 12 knife amnesty bins in different locations at police stations across Greater Manchester where people could hand in weapons.

 This week, when officers emptied the bins for the first time since the start of lockdown, they found a total of 554 knives had been handed in.

The initiative was part of  #ForeverAmnesty, a project run by GMP and the British Ironwork Centre, and was launched on a permanent basis following the overwhelming success of a similar knife amnesty in September. 

Sergeant Paul Nolan of Greater Manchester Police’s Violence Reduction Unit said: “The total number of weapons deposited in the bins since February was 554 knives, which is a huge amount considering we haven’t advertised the bins during lockdown. 

Any knife or weapon which is handed in is one less on our streets, and more importantly, one less that cannot be used as part of a crime.

Sergeant Paul Nolan of Greater Manchester Police’s Violence Reduction Unit

“The bins remained available throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as a safe option to dispose of a weapon for those who may have felt vulnerable.

“We are delighted with the number of knives that have been deposited. Any knife or weapon which is handed in is one less on our streets, and more importantly, one less that cannot be used as part of a crime.

He added: “The #ForeverAmnesty is one of a number of initiatives we are progressing to reduce violent crime across Greater Manchester. We carry out targeted intelligence-led weapons sweeps which can result in locating weapons hidden for later use.

Engagement

“Perhaps most importantly, we have weapon engagement and education with the young people in our region as part of our community-led approach to prevention.”

Greater Manchester’s Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, Bev Hughes, said: “GMP’s knife amnesty achieved fantastic results when it was launched last autumn and it’s really encouraging to see this number of knives safely handed into police over the past few months as result of this ongoing campaign. 

“In Greater Manchester, we are committed to getting weapons off our streets and to strong enforcement action where necessary. 

“However, policing activity alone is not enough. We need to understand the reasons why people carry and use knives in the first place, and use evidence, insight and data to intervene early and reduce violent crime and its consequences over the longer term.”

Awareness

The Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit was set up in 2019, with funding from the Home Office, to bring together police, local authorities, youth services, health, education and schools, as well as other criminal justice partners, to tackle serious violence.

Partners are engaging with schools to increase awareness of the consequences of getting involved in violent crime, identifying and working with young people at risk, and developing a community-led approach to prevention and early intervention.