Operation Sceptre to tackle knife crime in London

                               Knife crime scene. Source: www.rateyourmusic.com

The number of fatal stabbing in London this year rose to 32 last week.

The recent scale of lethal knife attacks in the capital is shocking, with most people stabbed to death between April-May. Half of them were children and teenagers.

The Metropolitan police launched the Operation Sceptre in 2015, with the objective of reducing knife crime across the capital, by targeting not only those who carry and use knives, but also the supply, access and importation of weapons.

The launch coincided with new legislation according to which those convicted of carrying a knife for the second time will face a mandatory custodial sentence.

The operation has so far resulted in over 2,000 arrests, 473 of which were for possession of a knife or weapon, and the recovery and removal of nearly 1,500 weapons.

Tackling the problem through stop and search action plans is essential, but what about detecting and managing the symptoms to prevent these appalling crimes, currently on the rise in London?

In order to focus on why youngsters arm themselves and those around them, officers from the Trident & Area Crime Command have created and delivered a set of educational packages in schools across the capital. The aim is to persuade young students to think about the decisions they make and the consequences of violent actions to eventually deter them from joining gangs.

Earlier this year the Met had released an alarming report showing that between 2015 and 2016 the number of children carrying knives at school rose by a whopping 50 per cent.

Despite the effort in reducing the percentage of families affected by knife crime across the whole of London, they have also recorded an increase of 24 per cent in the number of knife offences in the capital.

It is worth questioning if their efforts are hindered by a lack of funding, which would lead to a lively and controversial political debate.