Police and Operation Sceptre

On the front cover and below is a picture of Julie Wareham a nurse and member of the Wiltshire Searchers Metal Detecting Club (WISE). This club was formed five years ago by David Rees, Chairman of the Western Region ARMD and meet on the first Thursday of each month in Calne, Wiltshire.

42 police forces from England and Wales including the British Transport Police, took part in a seven-day crackdown on knife crime.

Operation Sceptre, is a national campaign which takes place twice a year, supporting the work Surrey Police carry out all year round to ensure residents are safe from knife crime in their community. Police officers undertake a range of activities including targeted operations, engagement and education to reassure young people they are safer not carrying knives, and to walk away from harm. Some of the weapons seized during the week, included machetes, swords and hunting knives.

Forces have been using every tactic available including weapons sweeps, using knife searches in public places and events, and also using honesty bins to remove knives off the streets. Nationally, officers seized 936 knives and 8703 were either surrendered or found in sweeps.

Operation Sceptre highlights the continuing commitment of the police to work with the public in preventing young people carrying knives and the latest operation saw engagement with schools and communities increase to higher levels than ever before. Young people must understand that carrying a knife is not the answer, nor does it offer the protection they think it does. It only puts them at greater risk.”

But while Police concentrate on strong enforcement, we must all assist in the long-term work to turn young people away from violence and the Police and other agencies are investing heavily in this initiative to make sure all our kids make it home safe.”

Operation Sceptre is a big part of that Police commitment, and we commend those officers dedicated to making our families safer

Through engagement and enforcement tactics available, other forms of criminality such as supplying drugs were also identified, including the discovery of large-scale cannabis farms.

Keep up with what’s happening in this great hobby with the Searcher Magazine.