25
Jun
2014
By Calvin at 11:06 GMT, 11 years ago
A large scale co-ordinated day of action targeting knife crime, including robbery, burglary, theft, gang crime and other related offences is taking place today, Wednesday, 25 June.
The latest Operation Big Wing involves more than 5,800 officers from across London's 32 boroughs, Roads and Traffic Policing and Specialist Crime and Operations, including Territorial Support Group, Trident and the Flying Squad, working with partners to carry out a wide range of operational and crime prevention activities as part of an ongoing drive to against knife crime in London.
Over 900 activities are planned throughout the day including over 160 warrants, search arches at transport hubs, targeted stop and search and weapon sweeps.
Other activity includes Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) operations, street briefings and crime prevention events advising the public about how to protect themselves and their valuables.
Temporary Detective Chief Superintendent Gordon Allison, Head of Trident, which leads the Met's response to gang and serious youth violence, said: "Our primary aim is keeping Londoners safe. We have seen significant reductions in both gun and knife crime in recent years, however we recognise that knife crime continues to have a considerable impact on London. In 2013/14, over 50 per cent of murders were committed with knives in comparison with 12 per cent involving a firearm. Forty three per cent of the UK's knife related offences take place in the capital.
"Tackling weapon-related violence is a priority for the Met. Operations continually take place throughout the Met - focusing on key times and places where intelligence points to the highest risk. We proactively target known violent offenders, stopping and searching people to detect and deter the carrying of weapons and to deploy screening arches in locations such as transport hubs. However we cannot rely on enforcement as the only tool. We work with schools and this engagement forms a very important part of our prevention work. We work closely with some fantastic programmes and groups such as Growing Against Gangs and Violence and speak to children of all ages.
"We support government proposals for tougher sentencing for knife crime offenders, and this week's Big Wing gives us an opportunity to highlight some of our enforcement and prevention work."
Commander Stephen Watson, leading today's Operation Big Wing, said: "Knife crime cuts across several crime types such as robbery, burglary and gang crime. Work continues day in and day out alongside our partners to target those responsible but highly visible operations such as Operation Big Wing play a major part in the fight against all crime across London."
Knife crime offences have reduced by 11.5 per cent during the year - just over 1,300 fewer offences and the lowest total in the last seven years. The reduction in knife crime offences during 2013/14 has been driven mainly by the fall in robberies, with knife crime robberies down 19 per cent (over 1,300 fewer offences) - whilst knife crime ‘Violence with injury’ offences are down by 1.0 per cent over the comparison period.
Knife crimes where a knife has been used to injure are down by 0.7 per cent (22 fewer offences) over the financial year comparison. Within this, knife crime injury victims who are aged under 25 and non-Domestic Violence (one of the measures used to assess gang violence) have reduced by 3.0 per cent over this timescale - 41 fewer victims.
TCPW Comment: Excellent news and good luck to my former colleagues for such an important operation.
Source Metropolitan Police: http://content.met.police.uk/News/Operation-Big-Wing-targets-knife-crime/1400024704654/1257246741786
