Published: Saturday, 4th October, 2008 09:00
Police knife crime cash boost
By James Kell
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POLICE have been given extra cash to fight knife crime across Berkshire.
Officers will use £150,000 from the Home Office to fund preventative work in collaboration with the New Destiny Trust and schools across the Royal County.
Thames Valley Police knife crime supremo DCC Francis Habgood said: “We intend to get across the message that knives will not be tolerated on our streets. It is important to do this face-to-face, particularly with those young people who are most likely to feel the need to carry a knife.”
The scheme sees schools hosting officers and youth mentors for a day. Pupils are shown a search arch and learn about police procedure and searching for weapons. They also take part in an interactive knife crime education session led by New Destiny Trust youth workers.
Heidi Watson, chief executive of the New Destiny Trust, said: “We concentrate on educating young people about the dangers of carrying a knife and dissuading them from being swayed by fashion, peer pressure or the desire to intimidate others.”
Some of the £150,000 has already been used to boost stocks of search arches and wands to increase the number of anti-knife operations at places such as nightclubs, schools and railway stations.
DCC Habgood said: “We are fortunate in the Thames Valley not to have seen huge numbers of knife-related incidents but should not be complacent. The opportunity to have additional funds to tackle the issue is welcome news.”
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