Police chief explains why North East force will not be taking part in knife amnesty

A senior cop insists Northumbria Police is committed to tackling knife crime despite the force not holding a knife amnesty following the stabbing of a teenager from Wearside.
Northumbria Police vehicles.Northumbria Police vehicles.
Northumbria Police vehicles.

Several forces around the country have announced they are holding amnesty periods following the deaths of a number of teenagers, including Connor Brown from Sunderland, over the past few weeks.

Connor, from Farringdon, died following an attack in Sunderland city centre in the early hours of Sunday, February 24.

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Northumbria Police’s head of crime chief superintendent Lisa Orchard said that while the force takes a "very strong stance" on knife crime, the area experiences low levels of knife-related incidents compared to other big cities.

Chf supt Orchard said: “The death of Connor Brown in Sunderland last month has clearly impacted the community and our thoughts remain with his family and friends at this extremely difficult time.

“As a force, we take a very strong stance on knife crime and our area continues to experience low levels compared to other big cities across the country.

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“The North East is a very safe place to live but we are not complacent and are always looking at new ways to prevent criminal activity.

“We visit schools and colleges to educate youngsters about the dangers of knife crime and work with partners, including licensees, to help keep our cities and towns safe.

“Our officers also have the power to stop and search individuals believed to be carrying a knife or weapon and anyone found doing so will be arrested and brought before the courts."

Chf supt Orchard added that anyone who knows of a person or persons carrying knives to contact police.

“I would urge anybody who has any information about people going out with a weapon to come forward," she said.

"Share that information with police, so we can act now.”