Knife attacks drop thanks to 'new way of working'

Knife offences have dropped across Avon and Somerset Police's area thanks to a new way of working that gives people a chance to speak, the force said.

Figures show knife crime has decreased, with public order offences involving a knife down by 35% from 188 incidents between January to March in 2024, to 121 for the same period this year.

Chief Insp Mike Vass said the figures are "encouraging" and the force, which covers Bristol, Bath, Taunton and Weston, is now conducting knife sweeps to continue tackling the crime.

He said: "We've seen reductions in our knife crime - offending, possession offences, robbery offences and theft offences."

"I think the biggest difference is the concentrated effort over the last couple of years in our partnership working - whether that's through our violence reduction partnerships, or through our other networks such as the bleed kit partnerships," he added.

"What they enable is prevention, education and just giving people a chance to speak to us."

Murder involving a knife has also dropped from seven during the first three months of 2024, to one over the same period in 2025.

And robberies with a knife has plunged from 147 in 2024 to 116 this year.

Officers are conducting weapon searches in Arnos Park, Bristol, this week as part of Operation Sceptre - a nationwide initiative held twice a year to raise awareness and tackle knife crime

As part of the operation, knife surrender bins are being placed across the city.

Officers have so far seized more than 7,000 knives from 33 sites in the force area.

Money raised from melting these knives are partially funding scenario-based classes run by charity Lifeskills.

This scheme has taught thousands of school children about the dangers of knives.

Community surrender bins have been placed in the following locations:

Stars Lane, Yeovil, Queensway Retail Park, Worle, Armadillo Youth Centre, Yate, Fore Street, Taunton, Lifeskills, Bristol and Growing Futures, St Paul's.

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