Policing minister Sarah Jones told The Mirror that officers will not turn a blind eye to thugs as she highlighted a clampdown in hotspots in London and Birmingham
The policing minister has warned of extra measures to tackle knife crime(Image: PA)
Police on e-bikes will chase down thugs carrying knives in hotspots as part of a clampdown in the coming weeks, the UK’s policing minister has pledged.
Sarah Jones told The Mirror that officers will not turn a blind eye as a string of measures are rolled out in London and Birmingham. The Home Office minister said patrols are being ramped up as part of the government’s No Place for Knives drive, which has been welcomed by campaigners.
Adverts at tube stations and bus stops will warn about increased activity in Westminster and Croydon, as well as Birmingham’s city centre. Labour came to power promising to halve knife crime within a decade – and since 2024 figures reveal an 11% fall.
Ms Jones told The Mirror: “Knife crime devastates lives, families and entire communities. The good news is, it’s coming down – but there is still more to be done.
“That’s why we’re working with police and other local agencies to make sure the right action is being taken in the right places. In London and Birmingham, that means stepping up activity including extra police patrols, e-bikes and new technology.
“Our No Place for Knives campaign will raise awareness of that action and make clear to those considering committing these crimes that we are not turning a blind eye. The campaign will be visible across Birmingham, Croydon and Westminster, including in areas where the risk of knife crime is higher.”
She continued: “Tackling knife crime is about combining tough enforcement with prevention. We will continue backing the police to target those responsible for knife crime and robbery, while working with communities to reach young people early and prevent offending before it escalates.
“We are determined to halve knife crime within a decade and make communities across the country safer.”
Knife-related homicides have fallen by 25% since the general election, while and knife-enabled robbery is down by 18%.
Patrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust – named after 16-year-old Ben, who was murdered in a knife attack in 2008 – said: “Every young person deserves to feel safe without feeling the need to carry a knife. We therefore welcome the Home Office’s ‘No Place for Knives’ campaign and its contribution to the wider effort to reduce knife crime and protect young lives.
“A particular strength of ‘No Place for Knives’ is that it has drawn on young people’s input during its development. Young people understand better than anyone the pressures, anxieties and misconceptions that can lead to knife carrying.
“By listening to young people and reflecting their experiences in the campaign, the Home Office has created a stronger and more authentic platform for encouraging safer choices and preventing violence.”
