A KNIFE amnesty will return to Barnsley on September 25 as police step up their work to get rid of blades from the town’s streets.
Operation Sceptre, which was a week-long campaign against knife crime in March, resulted in 106 blades being recovered by officers either through them being seized during raids or owners giving them up.
Since then, a fatal stabbing occurred at a house on Roy Kilner Road, Wombwell, in June in which Jill Hibberd, 73, died.
But according to police, there has also been an alarming rise in youngsters carrying blades something which officers aim to tackle in next month’s operation which ties in with a school scheme led by Dr Alan Billings, the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
The You’re Only Young Once (YOYO) project has been working with pupils at schools across the town including Barnsley Academy, Darton College, Horizon, Kirk Balk and Outwood Academy at Carlton and Shafton.
“I know the police are doing everything they can to tackle things such as knife crime, but it does raise the wider question of what is happening and what can be done,” Dr Billings said.
“This epidemic of knife incidents is not unique no-one really understands why it has been happening.
“If we don’t understand why something is happening, we are likely to be more concerned, not less.
“We need to ensure that our young people understand the risks they run by carrying blades. The truth is that carrying a knife offers no protection and anyone who does is more likely to become a victim themselves.
“YOYO is an innovative way of engaging with young people in schools.
“In lessons pupils are taught new skills how to produce radio advertisements, podcasts and videos. As they do so they research important themes such as guns, gangs and knives and child sexual exploitation.
“This is an indirect way of learning and I believe is more effective than being talked at.
“They use their findings to produce awareness raising content that can be shared with their friends, families and through the website.
“Schools in Barnsley that we have worked with so far on the campaign have produced some excellent work.
“I would like to thank all of the schools that have already been involved in the project and encourage others to sign up.”
About 15,000 young people were spoken to during the previous Sceptre, while figures show 39 people were stopped and searched, more than 200 were scanned by a knife detector near Barnsley Interchange and retail test purchases were carried out.
Det Supt Una Jennings, who leads the operation in South Yorkshire, said: “Those who choose to arm themselves with a knife, whether it’s carried in the belief it’s for protection or status, or if it’s used to commit a crime, are those who are responsible for damaging our communities and are a blight on society.
“We’re all committed and all have the same goal. We will ensure we continue to adopt all methods and measures available to drive knife-related criminality down.
“The results we have seen across the county have been very encouraging as our communities, as well as partner organisations, are fully behind us. We will not tolerate knife crime.”
