Knife crime education must continue, says chief
Shropshire is lucky not to suffer with knife crime problems like big cities but that doesn't mean work to stop youngsters from carrying knives isn't needed.
Knife crime issues in London and Birmingham have re-surfaced in the news again in recent weeks with multiple lives being taken.
It isn't as big of a problem in Shropshire and West Mercia, but deputy chief constable Amanda Blakeman has insisted that doesn't mean work to stop youngsters from carrying knives needs to stop.
She said: "We are lucky in this area in that gang culture isn't big and neither is knife crime.
"But that doesn't mean the work we do to educate people is any less important.
"Across the area in Birmingham they have a big issue and we don't have nothing like that.
"But we still need to educate people on what is right and wrong, and what the dangers and risks are of carrying knives around."
The deputy chief constable was talking on a visit to the British Ironworks Centre, which has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime.
Across the country there is a story about a knife incident or a stabbing every day, and the deputy chief constable believes it can be reduced and stopped.
But the first thing to do is educate people, and make them think why they shouldn't be carrying knives.
She added: "It is all about education, and the work that is done at the Ironworks Centre is massive because it makes youngsters think twice about taking out and carrying a knife.
"We need to education children, and that is why work doesn't stop just because knife crime isn't a problem in the West Mercia area.
"We need young people to think it is not okay to go out and have a knife in their possession."
