Nottinghamshire Police say 635 knives handed in during knife amnesty as part of Operation Spectre

Over 600 bladed weapons have been handed in to police during a county-wide knife amnesty.

Nottinghamshire Police, and a growing number of partners including Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the Bridges Community Trust, held a seven-day knife amnesty from March 11 to 17 as part of Operation Sceptre, a national initiative aiming to reduce knife crime.

The operation proved to be very successful, with 635 knives being handed in - over 200 more knives being handed in than during the previous amnesty in September 2018.

During the initiative, 16 amnesty bins were placed across the county for carriers to deposit their weapons in without fear of prosecution. They were based at police stations, including Newark, shared council and police front counters, and also for the first time at Queen's Medical Centre, Gedling Borough Council's Civic Centre in Arnold, and the Bridges Community Trust in The Meadows.

The weapons handed in included swords, machetes, butterfly knives, flick knives, throwing knives, Bowie knives and bayonets. The weapons will now be destroyed.

Chief Superintendent Rob Griffin, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "I would like to thank everyone in communities across Nottinghamshire who took the chance to dispose of bladed weapons during the amnesty.

"To take 635 weapons out of circulation is a phenomenal response and really shows the strength of feeling among the public and their desire to help tackle this issue.

"Some people question why we hold knife amnesties because criminals don't engage with them. What I would say to that is just look at the weapons that have been handed in ­- some of these are incredibly dangerous weapons that are designed to cause harm. So every weapon handed in is one less that can fall into the hands of someone who would use it for that purpose."

Chief Inspector Donna Lawton, knife crime lead for Nottinghamshire Police, said: "As well as the support we had last year from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, Nottingham City Council and the borough and district councils across Nottinghamshire, we were really happy to secure support from two new partner agencies during this operation because it shows that the community as a whole wants to make a difference and is stepping up when it is needed," she said.

"The support of external agencies is also important because some people feel more comfortable handing them in at locations where there are no police officers and for some people it is just more convenient for them. We will continue to explore opportunities to work with even more partners in future amnesties and if there are any organisations who would like to find out more about getting involved please get in touch by calling 101."

Paddy Tipping, Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Every knife that has been handed in is one less potential weapon and in that respect this operation was a great success. But the work doesn’t stop there. We are all working, each and every day, to prevent knife crime. That’s why I have budgeted for officers in our schools, it’s why I have applied for additional resources, it’s why I am funding community groups and partners to provide diversionary and awareness programmes. It’s why I have driven a county-wide knife crime strategy, it’s why I have funded a knife crime lead.

"We are tackling this scourge from all angles. But this is a national issue and it needs a national response backed by appropriate resources. The toll is appalling and it has to stop.”

Dr Adam Brooks, clinical director for the East Midlands Major Trauma Centre at Queen’s Medical Centre, said: “We see consequences of knife crime at our Major Trauma Centre so a campaign which aims to reduce the number of knife-related injuries in Nottingham will always have our full support.

“The response to this campaign from the public is welcome and we will continue to work with our colleagues at Nottinghamshire Police to help prevent knife crime.”