Police across Scotland will today (Monday, October 1) launch a crackdown on knife carriers.

The three week blitz marks the start of this year’s anti-violence campaign, co-ordinated by the Violence Reduction Unit under the Safer Scotland banner.

Under this phase of the campaign, forces will carry out a range of activities to clampdown on those who carry knives and weapons, including increased stop-searches using airport-style metal detectors and hand held metal detectors, targeting known knife carriers and intelligence gathering. There will also be a sustained promotion campaign.

The initiatives will build on the success of last year’s campaign to reinforce the message that knife carrying will not be tolerated in 21st century Scotland.

The campaign will also seek to encourage communities to work together with the police to stop knife carrying and make our streets safer.

Chief Inspector Andy McKay, co-ordinator of the anti-violence campaign, said:
“We want to hammer home the message that Scotland will not stand for people carrying knives on its streets – and those that are carrying will be punished.

“Over the next few weeks officers nationwide will be actively searching for knife carriers – stopping them, searching them and arresting them. We will do whatever we can to clear the streets of these weapons.
“I would also appeal to families and friends to play their part – we can’t be there when your child steps out of the door with a knife – you can. No-one leaves home with the intention of becoming a murderer, but if your child leaves home carrying a knife, that’s the chance they take.”