Operation Sceptre patrols in Wellingborough town centre

Members of the Wellingborough Neighbourhood Policing Team will join revellers tomorrow (Friday, November 19), to prevent and tackle knife crime as part of the national Operation Sceptre week of action.

Throughout the week, officers and staff from across Northamptonshire Police have stepped up their activities to address the issue of knife crime in our communities and raise awareness of the common misconceptions around carrying knives.

To ensure the message reaches all sections of the community, members of the Neighbourhood Policing Team will be taking part in proactive high-visibility patrols of the town centre’s night-time economy.

In addition to the patrols, and in partnership with licensed premises, the team will also be setting up a knife arch in the town centre and use handheld metal detectors to scan for weapons.

Wellingborough Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Chris Stevens said: “Knife crime is a matter of priority for the Force, which is why we launched our countywide campaign at the beginning of October.

“Operation Sceptre provides us with the opportunity to continue our focus on the different strands of education, engagement, prevention, and enforcement, all of which are important to reduce knife crime.

“Working with our night-time economy partners, we want to ensure that our town centres provide a safe environment for all visitors and make life difficult for those intent on ruining others enjoyment.

“It’s important to remember that most of us do not carry knives and will probably never be affected by knife crime – it is not a normal thing to do, which is why we need to dispel the myths around carrying a knife.

“By raising awareness of the common misconceptions, we hope to prevent people from carrying knives in the first place, however that doesn’t mean we will not take robust action against the small minority who still insist on committing this type of offending.”

Find out more about how Northamptonshire Police is preventing and tackling knife crime here.

If you have any information or concerns about knife crime in your community, you can report non-emergency crime to 101, visit www.northants.police.uk/RO or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. In an emergency always call 999.