Hertfordshire Constabulary to tackle knife crime in nationwide crackdown

Hertfordshire officers will be cracking down on knife crime as part of a nationwide campaign.

Operation Sceptre will take place across the country between May 13 and 19 to tackle violent crime.

Knife related crime remains lower in Hertfordshire than in other parts of the country, but the campaign aims to reinforce the message that carrying a knife is illegal and will not keep people safe.

During the week of action, officers will be conducting knife detection sweeps and talking to retailers about making sure knife sales are age checked, as well as educating young people about the dangers of carrying a knife.

Imminent changes to the laws on legal knife ownership mean that certain items that were previously legal to own are now prohibited. From September, it will be illegal to possess, even in a private address, ‘zombie’ knives and machetes.

During the campaign, anyone with such weapons or any other knives that they do not want or should not have, can be surrendered at Hatfield, Stevenage or Watford police stations. There will also be temporary knife bins in locations around the county as well as permanent surrender bins in Waltham Cross.

Items can be surrendered anonymously in the knife bins provided.

Sergeant Karen Mellor: “These initiatives offer an opportunity to reduce the number of knives in circulation and anyone in possession of weapons prohibited under the new laws will be able to surrender them anonymously.

“Regular weeks of action are part of our continuing strategy to tackle violent crime. During the week we will be conducting operations across the county, to reduce knife-related crime and to raise awareness that it is illegal to carry a knife in public without a valid reason and may lead to arrest.

“It is also a chance to talk with young people in person and online about the dangers of carrying a knife, and also raise awareness amongst local businesses that selling certain knives to anyone under 18 is illegal.”

Follow the week of action online at @HertsPolice on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.