November 15, 2021. News
Operation Sceptre: launch of national knife crime awareness campaign
Today marks the launch of Operation Sceptre, the national week of action to tackle knife crime. The Thames Valley Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is coordinating additional policing activity and working closely with its partners to promote an awareness and education campaign – #KnivesRuinLives.
Operation Sceptre takes place twice a year, with a week of action in November and again in April, coordinated nation-wide by the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
The week sees increased policing activity by Thames Valley Police, drawing upon Home Office “Grip” funding which provides for additional proactive operations. This includes:
- Additional high-visibility patrols, particularly in hotspot locations and targeting known offenders
- Additional focus upon the night-time economy – keeping people safe on their night out
- Safer schools passage – focusing on busy school routes before/after school to keep young people safe
- Additional investigative resources to manage any knife crime incidents
Across the Thames Valley, in major police stations and also in a number of public locations, knife surrender bins are available for anyone to dispose of knives or other weapons safely, with no need to leave a name, no questions asked.
Finally, the week sees an increase in education and awareness campaigning, raising awareness of the consequences of carrying a knife and seeking to dispel the myth that carrying a knife gives personal protection
Amnesty bins can be found in the following police stations:
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE:
Aylesbury,
High Wycombe
Milton Keynes
OXFORDSHIRE:
Abingdon
Banbury
St Aldates, Oxford
BERKSHIRE:
Loddon Valley
Maidenhead
Newbury
Reading
Slough
Additional knife amnesty bins are located in:
Aylesbury: Southcourt Baptist Church, Penn Road
Reading; Waitrose Car Park, Caversham, Cintra Park, Coley Park Community Centre, Kensington Park, Orts Road, Tilehurst Triangle
If you have any information about the possession of knives or criminal activity relating to this type of crime, please call 101 or alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.