Knife crime campaign supported in Welwyn Hatfield

Officers have been supporting the national knife crime campaign, Sceptre, in Welwyn Hatfield.

Sceptre is a week of action that takes place twice a year to highlight the dangers of carrying knives.

Between Monday 13 and Sunday 19 May, officers were out and about in the borough, speaking to the public about knife crime.

There was also a knife bin at Hatfield Police Station where residents could safely dispose of knives.

Activity across the week included visits from PC Kerry Ellis to Onslow St Audrey’s School in Hatfield and Stanborough School in Welwyn Garden City. PC Ellis is from the constabulary’s Child Criminal Exploitation Prevention and Diversion Team, which aims to provide an early intervention and preventative approach for those at risk of gang affiliation, criminal exploitation and knife crime.

The students had a fun and informative workshop with PC Ellis – involving virtual reality headsets! The headsets showed scenarios based on gang culture and knife crime, and each scenario had multiple decisions within it leading to various different outcomes.

After the scenarios were played, an engagement workshop was presented to the students, encouraging them to interact and think outside the box in terms of their decisions made and the pathways they had chosen.

Officers also took to Hatfield Town Centre, along with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council. PC James Holt-Whittall and PCSOs Bill McCaskie and Shannon Payne, from the Neighbourhood Policing Team, joined together with Community Safety Partnership Team Leader Zoe Flaherty and Safer Communities Officer Tanveer. They visited the local shops and chatted to residents, raising awareness of the campaign and reminding them of the knife bin at Hatfield Police Station.

In addition to the proactive activities, a teenager was also arrested as part of officers’ efforts to tackle knife crime. A 17 year old boy from Welwyn Garden City was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of an offensive weapon and being concerned in the supply of drugs. A machete was recovered.

The boy has been bailed, with conditions, whilst enquiries continue.

Inspector Amy Sheldon, from the Welwyn Hatfield Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We carry out lots of work throughout the year to tackle knife crime and Sceptre is a brilliant opportunity for us to push out our anti-knife crime stance even further.

“Carrying a knife can have the most devastating consequences and whilst some may think it offers them protection, they are wrong. By carrying a blade you put yourself at higher risk of injury or death. In fact, there has been cases in the country where teenagers have been injured or even killed by someone else using the knife they were carrying. Aside from the danger, you could face a £5,000 fine and four years in jail – even if you don’t use it.

“We will remain committed to working with our local partners, including schools and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, to tackle knife crime all year round.”

If you have information about somebody carrying a knife, you can report it online, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form.

Photo caption: Left to right is PCSOs Bill McCaskie and Shannon Payne, PC James Holt-Whittall and Safer Communities Officer Tanveer from Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.