Durham Constabulary is taking a firm stand against knife crime, launching a powerful month-long campaign to coincide with ‘Sceptre’ a national weapon amnesty week and the arrival of the Knife Angel in Newton Aycliffe this June.

The message is clear: carrying a knife in our communities is pointless.

Durham Constabulary consistently has one of the lowest rates of knife crime in the country – and we want to make sure it stays that way.

One incident is one too many, and officers are determined to act now before the problem grows.

Their campaign focuses on three stark realities of carrying a knife:

·         Pointless risk – Carrying a knife makes you more likely to become a victim yourself.

·         Pointless to carry – There is no justification for carrying a weapon.

·         Pointless choices – One bad decision can destroy lives, leading to serious injury, death, or prison.

As part of the campaign, Durham Constabulary is launching a month-long knife amnesty, allowing people to surrender knives or weapons at designated police stations across County Durham and Darlington. Not only is this to remove weapons from our streets, but all surrendered knives will also be donated back to the British Ironworks Centre, the creators of the Knife Angel.

Newton Aycliffe Neighbourhood Sergeant Andy Boyd said: “We know that knife crime ruins lives. Even in an area with relatively low knife crime where you live, we cannot afford to ignore it. One injury, one death, is one too many. That’s why we’re working hard to change attitudes toward carrying knives before it’s too late.

“To tackle knife crime across our county, we’ve been running educational programmes in schools for pupils from Year 6 to Year 11, helping them understand the real dangers of carrying a knife and the devastating impact it can have on families and communities.

“This June, the Knife Angel arrives in County Durham for the first time. It’s a powerful national symbol against violence, and we’re determined to use it to drive home our message that carrying a knife is pointless.”

Anyone caught carrying a knife without a valid reason can face up to four years in prison – a life-altering punishment for a decision that could have been avoided.

Members of the public can safely surrender knives at the front counters of the following police stations: Durham City, Bishop Auckland, Peterlee, and Darlington. Please visit our website for station opening times.

For safety, all items must be securely wrapped and sealed in a bag or box before being transported. Knives must never be carried openly or in a way that could cause alarm.

If you are worried that someone you know is carrying a knife, don’t stay silent. Talk to the police, a family member, a teacher, or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers.

To find out more about the Knife Angel’s visit and how you can support the campaign, visit Knife Angel | Durham Constabulary