Police visit 10 Suffolk schools in knife crime awareness week

Why it matters: Early intervention through education aims to prevent knife crime before it happens, with officers building trust and understanding among young people about the dangers and consequences of carrying knives.

The details: Officers visited primary schools, secondary schools, specialist education settings and colleges during May as part of a coordinated effort. The presentations covered personal safety, peer pressure and the law, with officers engaging in open discussions with pupils.

Inspector Winston Freeman said: "Early intervention and education is key. By speaking directly with young people we can help them understand the real dangers of knife crime, explain that there are always alternatives to violence, and equip them with the confidence to make safe choices. These conversations are vital in helping us prevent crime before it happens."

What they're saying: Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said: "Operation Sceptre gives officers and partners the opportunity to raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime across the county, and also to tackle the crime with targeted enforcement - I fully support this pro-active approach to tackling knife crime in the county.

"It is particularly important we work with schools, parents and carers to highlight the dangers of carrying a knife. We will only make a difference if we work together."

He added: "I'd also like to put on record my thanks to the Suffolk Police Cadets who volunteered their time to support this critical work."

The bottom line: Suffolk Police are combining education with enforcement to tackle knife crime, urging families to have difficult conversations whilst calling on the public to report suspicious activity to help make streets safer.