KNIFE CRIME AWARENESS WEEK 15th May - 21st May 2023
Statistics:
2022 West Midlands Police (WMP) recorded 1,894 crimes were used by machetes (on average 160 a month).
7,257 incidents between 2021 and 2022 for knife crime per 100,000 people.
Increase in knife crime contributed to a rise in linked hospital admissions by 15%.
New Order imposed:
WMP is one of four forces trialling a new 'Serious Violence Reduction Orders' which will make it easier for officers to search suspected criminals for weapons. The purpose of the power is to tackle violent gangs. The power will be applied to the Courts to search individuals over 18 years old who have been previously convicted for carrying a knife. If an offender breaches the order, they could receive up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine. SVRO Inspector James Tandy reported on the new order "anything that helps us tackle this issue and keep the pressure on those who are involved in the most serious violent crime is very welcome".
The powers were activated 19th April 2023 and has believed to help "tackle prolific, high-risk offenders, by making it easier for police to search them for weapons". This order will be in operation for two years before it being decided to be used by all police forces. The purpose of the order is to help protect first time offenders from being exploited by criminal gangs. It will enable officers to tackle cross border criminality and ensure offenders are challenged if suspected due to previous convictions.
Rich Cooke representative of the WMP federation chair has stated that "I do not think it will have much impact". His concern has been raised due to the rise of knife crime is significantly found committed by juvenilles. As a result of the order only being applied for those over 18 years old they will be exempt from this order. It is in Cookes view that shops and organisations should also have a tighter rule policy for the sale of knives following the success of Iceland's approach. But also there should be an outright ban on the sale of machetes which will help reduce statistics and the likelihood of future offenders. He believes that the tackling of knife crime will be achieved through a more localised policing model.
Cooke suggests three solutions to the tackling of knife crime: proactive policing model embedded in local communities to build trust and includes a flow of intelligence. Secondly, the police need to use powers Section 60 (stop and search) to prevent crime and ensuring that dangerous potential offenders are detained. Finally, the Criminal Justice System needs to hand out sentences which prioritise public protection rather than percieving the needs of offenders.
Execution of order:
26th April 2023 a 45 year old man appeared before Wolverhampton Magistrates Court and received a 12 month custodial sentence for possession of a lock knife. The local investigation team submitted a SVRO application at court as the defendant was already serving a suspended sentence for possession of lock and craft knife.
Briefing Paper Analysis: 14th December 2020
VRU Strategic Needs Assessment states that in the West Midlands "in 2019, it has experienced the biggest annual increase in knife crime of any area in England - up 17% on 2018 (compared to 7% increase nationally)". Therefore the reduction and tackling of knife crime is the police force priority.
The WMP force has decided to create a strategy to help tackle the increase of knife crime and the negative impact that is has upon communities. Firstly, they aim to connect with the people through building trust and strength within local communities. Through getting a better understanding of communal concerns, building a safer community and improving public experiences will help achieve this first aim. Secondly, they aim to maximise the impact of intervention through ensuring police officers make effective decisions on duty. This can be seen through the expansion of data and technologies, establishing a policing doctrine and ensuring that officers are acting within their lawful duty.
Thirdly, the force aim to sustain and engaged workforce through building a diverse and skilled employee community. The force have made an investment into the health and wellbeing of officers, creating diversity workshops and commitments, and continuing the deliverance of learning. Fourthly, they aim to tackle the complex and vulnerable demands first. A whole-system approach would help to prevent these crimes lasting for an extended period of time, ensuring that there is an effective collaboration amongst departments and pursing co-operation with other policing partners. Finally, the force aim to continually search for operational working systems. A workforce that is built of employees that are empowered to learn and improve performance, be effective in their duty and roles, and continue to ensure that WMP is sustainable.
As a result of these aims there are certain outcomes that WMP aim to establish over the next few years. They have highlighted that the issue of knife crime is a long term problem to be solved and strategic decisions need to be made to tackle this issue. WMP will work with the Cadet and Youth Engagement Officers to enhance youth voices and providing community scrutiny over officer duties on service. Enhancing night time economy health provisions and safe havens through the development of a 'safespace model'. Developing the checkpoint deferred prosecution pilot to support suspects in violent and knife related offending, as well as creating educational packages to support knife crime victims and offenders.
The purpose of the model is to assist WMP officers with trying to tackle knife crime. It has been acknowledge by the force that this issue can not be solved solely by themselves. Therefore, it is important that organisations, individuals and those within the community continue the effort to tackle knife crime. It has been difficult for victims and those within the community who have become fearful over the rise of knife crime and (rightful) belief that the WMP force is not doing enough to tackle the rise of knife crime.
Problem Solving approach:
Knife crime is a persistent problem in the UK creating a significant impact on societal, economic and health implications. Using a problem-solving approach to tackling knife crime. It will created a broad approach to tackling knife crime that can be practised across the UK. Interventions in schools, weapon sweeps and focused deterrence. This approach will require police officers to conduct systematic inquiries, prioritise prevention, work with other individuals and groups, and evaluate whether officer actions has a desired effect.
CHEERS TEST: Determining what the affect is upon the local community. Generation of harm, directly for victims or indirectly through fear within the community. Be something that the public expect the police to address. Comprise discrete and clearly defined events, such as the stabbing of an individual. The recurring events, increase in routine of individuals carrying out knives within the community or a series of stabbings in a location. Finally, the events that are similar to one another (location, same victims or offenders).
ASSESSMENT OF PATTERNS: The police should assess the availability and accessibility of knives. The locations where and when knives tend to be used. Who is liable to carry and use knives in public or private space? Who is likely to become a victim of knife crime? What are the circumstances leading up to a knife crime incident (explored in court before a jury)?
Challenges:
Criticism against the West Midlands force has been found over the disproportionate use of stop and search powers against black individuals and low success rate (1/4 successful searches conducted). Assistant Chief Constable Claire Bell had stated "too many people have died or been seriously injured in our areas as a result of knife crime". The effectiveness of police service can be improved by shifting the focus from responding to solely isolated incidents to understanding better the causes of persistent problems affecting communities and individuals being involved in knife culture.
Neighbourhood officers will be visiting schools across the West Midlands to speak to pupils about the dangers of carrying knives and tragic consequences as a result. The Precious Lives Project funded by the Police Crime Commissioner has reported that there has been an engagement with over 150,000 school children since 2011 with an addition 1500 school children being taught about this topic this week. Officers will work with Trading Standards to further educate shop owners about the importance of challenging those underaged buying knives and ensure the owners are compliant with the law. There will also be knife surrender bins placed around the cities to encourage the disposing of knives and blades in a safe manner. Superintendant Keith Fraser stated that the police aim to "provide reassurance to our communities who we know have some real concerns around knife crime". It has a detrimental impact on communities and their feelings of being unsafe.
Until the next Legal Thought,
Elicia Maxwell
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