POLICE in Devon supported national ‘Sceptre’ knife awareness campaign, engaging with knife retailers to check knives are not being sold illegally and with the public around the risks of carrying knives.

The campaign, led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), ran from Monday, May, 18 to Sunday, May24 and is part of the wider national strategy to remove dangerous weapons from the streets and keep communities safe.

The force-wide Sceptre intensification activity demonstrated a strong emphasis on prevention, education and retailer engagement alongside targeted enforcement activity, including knife sweeps, test purchasing operations, stop and search activity and education and engagement activity in schools and communities.

During the week of intensification, a total of 39 knives were taken off the streets and 27 test purchases were carried out in shops selling knives, with only two outlets failing the test.

Store owners were given advice about selling to under 18s as well as storage and safeguarding information.

Eight arrests were made in relation to knife carrying or knife crime.

27 educational events were also held at local schools and in local communities and an additional 58 retailers were visited to check that they had the appropriate checks in place in relation to selling knives to under 18s.

Detective Inspector Kevin Morley of Devon & Cornwall Police, who led the operation, said: ‘It has been a really successful week for us with a lot of positive engagement across the board, including with partners, in schools and with local retailers, as well as a significant number of knives being removed from circulation.

‘Whilst knife crime in Devon and Cornwall remains low, we support this national campaign whole-heartedly.

‘It is important that local knife retailers are aware of the law and the checks that should be carried out when selling knives.

‘Some people think knife carrying will make them safer when the reality is that they are more likely to be injured with their own knife.

‘There have been a number of serious incidents involving knives recently, but these are infrequent.

‘This emphasises the importance of our on-going efforts to remove knives from our streets, as we recognise the catastrophic impact on families who have been victims of knife crime.

‘Devon and Cornwall remain among the safest places to live in the country andwe will continue to use every available resource to combat knife crime and keep our neighbourhoods safe’.