Knife amnesty campaign 'Sceptre' gets underway

Bin that knife

Starting today (Monday, November 11), unlicensed weapons can be safely surrendered – no questions asked – at police stations across County Durham and Darlington.

Look for amnesty bins at the following stations:
• Durham City
• Darlington
• Peterlee
• Bishop Auckland

This is part of a national week-long campaign, ‘Sceptre’, aimed at reducing knife crime and tackling weapon-related violence. Recent bans on intimidating "zombie-style" knives and machetes further support efforts to keep these dangerous weapons off the streets.

Inspector Barry Evans, the force's knife crime lead said: "The devastating and lasting impact of knife crime on individuals, families, and communities cannot be overstated.

"Durham Constabulary has one of the lowest rates of knife crime in the North-East – we are consistently in the bottom four or five forces across the country.

"We're proud of that, but we're not complacent. One injury is still one too many, and we're working hard to change attitudes toward carrying knives."

Remember, this amnesty is anonymous but not an excuse to dispose of weapons involved in crime. Any knives suspected of being used unlawfully may still be investigated.

Most people don’t carry knives, but if you’re worried someone is, talk to the police, a family member, teacher, or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers.