405 knives and other bladed items were handed in to police during the knife amnesty held in Dorset over four days from 18 – 21 September. Dorset Police supported the amnesty as part of the ongoing Home Office national knife crime reduction initiative, Operation Sceptre.
Superintendent Jared Parkin, Dorset Police knife crime lead, said: “We are pleased with the results during this knife amnesty. “As we have previously warned, it is often those that carry knives who end up injured by them if a confrontation takes place. This is exactly the sort of reason why the knife amnesty was held in Dorset, as part of our ongoing local approach to focusing on prevention. Any knife taken out of circulation and off the street helps to prevent injuries and deaths.”
You can read current government advice and legislation on selling, buying and carrying knives here: www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives A large variety of items were handed in including hunting knives, samurai-style swords, rapiers and sword sticks, along with an assortment of kitchen knives and cleavers. All will now be destroyed. Supt. Parkin concluded: “No good can come from carrying a knife. For your own safety and that of others, please get rid of it.”
Outside of amnesty periods, people with unwanted knives such as domestic kitchen blades can dispose of them in household waste as long as they are packaged securely so as to avoid handling injuries. Or they can be deposited along with other bladed items in the metal recycling skip at local reclamation facilities. The Police & Crime Commissioner for Dorset, Martyn Underhill said: ‘’I am pleased that so many knives and bladed items have been handed in during the amnesty period. ‘’Knife crime destroys lives. There is no circumstance where carrying a knife as a weapon or as some kind of protection is acceptable. Carrying a knife only makes you more vulnerable and places those around you at greater risk.’’
If anyone has any queries over bladed items or firearms and how to dispose of them, or is concerned about transporting them, please drop into one of our police enquiry offices, the locations and opening times of which can be found here: https://www.dorset.police.uk/contact-us/visit-us/
Our photos show some of the items surrendered at the police enquiry offices in Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth and Blandford.
All items collected are then placed into metal drums and destroyed by the Force waste contractor.
