Police to hold knife amnesty in Salford as people told ‘please hand them to us’

Salford: Next week, there’s going to be a knife amnesty in Salford. The police are stepping up efforts to tackle knife crime, which is a big issue right now. They want to get as many weapons off the streets as possible.

They’re focusing on areas like Worsley, Walkden, and Little Hulton. The event will take place at the Ellesmere Centre in Walkden on Wednesday, January 15th, from 10 AM to noon.

Greater Manchester Police have made it clear: if you have any unwanted knives, please bring them in. Just make sure to transport them safely, either in a sealed container or wrapped up securely.

This is a great chance for the community to support the police in their mission to make the streets safer. Plus, it’s a good opportunity to meet the local neighborhood policing team.

Recently, there was a significant law change aimed at fighting knife crime. Certain types of knives, like ‘zombie-style’ ones and machetes, are now banned.

This change came after years of campaigning by families who have lost loved ones to stabbings. Sadly, Greater Manchester has seen its share of knife-related tragedies, especially among young people.

Just last month, the area experienced four stabbings in just four days, two of which were fatal. These incidents happened in places like Clayton, Wythenshawe, and Leigh.

After those tragic events, GMP emphasized the importance of working with partners to prevent such violence. They’re seeing some positive results from their efforts.

As part of the Violence Reduction Unit, they’re focusing on education, engagement, and enforcement. In the last month alone, they’ve visited 45 schools, conducted 90 knife sweeps, and collected 282 knives from amnesty bins.

While they’re making progress, there’s still a lot more to do. Detectives are actively investigating recent cases, and specialist officers are there to support families affected by violence.

In December 2023, the Manchester Evening News reported that Greater Manchester has seen an average of 12 knife crime incidents a day since 2020. That adds up to over 10,800 incidents in just a few years.

The highest number of incidents was in north Manchester, but Salford wasn’t far behind, with a significant number of cases reported.

GMP is confident that their ongoing operation to tackle knife crime is working. They have a 10-year strategy in place to further reduce these incidents.

As of late September, Operation Venture has led to numerous arrests and weapon seizures, showing that they’re serious about making a change.

If anyone has information that could help the police, they can call 101 or 999 in an emergency. For anonymous tips, there’s Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111 or their website.