Portland

Knife Crime

Location:
Portland

Issue:
Op Guardian is our operational response to knife crime - particularly children that carry knives in our community

Planned action to tackle this issue:
- We will identify those most likely to carry knifes within our community
- We will work with partner agencies such as Child Social Care and Youth Justice Service to engage those identified
- We will support these individuals to change their behaviour
- We will be robust if they are found to be carrying a knife
- We will identify the places and space where knife crime is most likely

July update:
This issue remains a local priority for the team due to the harm it causes to the local community and we will continue to focus our efforts in this area, by working with partner agencies and targeting those involved through education and enforcement. Recent action taken regarding 10 young people:
- Regular visits by police and partner agencies to encourage positive behaviour change and to disrupt negative activities
- Regular multi-agency meetings held to identify and implement additional support for the individual and their family, with the aim of reducing the risk of knife carrying
- Enhanced support packages delivered through partner organisations, tailored to the needs of each individual

June update:
- Visits have continued to those identified as habitual knife carriers to ensure barriers are broken down between young people and the police, allowing for honest discussions to be had around personal safety
- A FAKE (Firearms and Knife Education) input was delivered at the Atlantic Academy to educate young people around the risks of carrying weapons and to highlight the associated risks
- Partnership working will also continue to ensure that young people are supported and diverted away from carrying weapons. Robust action will be taken if any person is found in possession of a weapon

May update:
- We continue to engage with those people identified as being habitual knife carriers on a regular basis
- We work with parents and partner agencies to understand the reasons why people feel that they need to carry weapons, and to educate and deescalate the risks to those young people
- There is regular multi-agency work to ensure that the correct agencies are involved to allow positive relationships to be built and to support an divert young people away from carrying weapons