Police teams in Gedling borough are turning up the heat on those carrying knives during a week of action.
The police operation has been organised in support of the national knife-crime crackdown known as Operation Sceptre.
So far this week the Gedling Operation Reacher team has arrested a 38-year-old man at an address in Calverton for failing to attend court in relation to an alleged possession of a knife.
Knocking on some doors this morning (November 11) and some digging on police systems led officers to an address in the village where the man was detained.
Another knife-related arrest was made yesterday when a 53-year-old man handed himself in for failing to attend court in connection with an alleged knife possession offence.
Also yesterday officers from the Gedling Neighbourhood Policing Team recovered a lock knife and handed a man a £200 fine for breaching Covid-19 legislation during patrols in support of Operation Sceptre.
The officers were on patrol in the Netherfield town centre area when they spotted a group of teenagers acting suspiciously.
An 18-year-old man, who was among the group, ran off but was stopped by police following a short chase.
A lock knife was found discarded nearby and two people, including the 18-year-old, were stopped and searched.
The man was interviewed and later issued with a fine for flouting Coronavirus regulations.
Yesterday officers also visited the local Jackie Bells, Standhill and Conway Parks and carried out weapons sweeps using metal detectors.
Visits have also been paid to two local residents in the Gedling borough as part of the nationwide Operation Uchee – a partnership between the UK Border Agency and police forces to identify potentially dangerous items and weapons, including knives, which have been imported. Appropriate advice was provided to the residents regarding ownership of items
Inspector Chris Pearson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Every weapon taken off the streets due to the force’s ongoing work to tackle knife crime throughout the year helps protect the public.
“Operation Sceptre forms a part of our approach to tackling knife crime, ensuring we remove knives from our communities and tackling those who use them to cause fear or harm to others.
“However Operation Sceptre is just a snapshot of the continuous year-round work being carried out to combat knife crime in Nottinghamshire which involves police, partners and local communities all working together to tackle the issue through a mix of engagement, education and enforcement.
“It’s vital for us to continue to work with our communities, as we need their support to tackle knife crime. Anyone with any information about knife crime in their local area should call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always dial 999.”
Sergeant Matt Sisson, of the Gedling Operation Reacher team, added: “The whole team effort and ongoing hard work of all our local policing teams is all about making a positive difference to our communities and keeping them safe we are determined to keep working together and with our partners to target criminality in our neighbourhoods.”
