Police Force Relaunches Anti-Knife Crime Initiative

A police force has relaunched an anti-knife crime campaign, disclosing that knives were implicated in six homicides during the past year. Cleveland Police reported that from October 2023 through last month, they documented 503 incidents of violence resulting in injury where a knife was present. Of these, 154 offences involved individuals between the ages of 14 and 24. Assistant Chief Constable Richard Baker stated that the evidence is “clear”ly indicating a child carrying a knife is “more likely to become a victim of knife crime”. This latest phase of the “Blade Doesn’t Give You an Edge” campaign succeeds a year-long program previously conducted in educational institutions. The police force indicated a 23% decrease in both knife crime and serious crime over the preceding 12 months. Nevertheless, it maintains one of the nation’s highest per capita knife crime rates among all police forces, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. A recently launched campaign video depicts two boys: one as the victim of a knife assault and the other as the assailant. The video illustrates events both preceding and following the attack. ACC Baker described the video as “hard hitting,” demonstrating how a poor choice can alter young lives “forever.” On Saturday, Middlesbrough FC players donned an all-white kit for their Riverside match against Coventry City, deviating from their customary red colours, to draw attention to the perils of knife crime.