Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have cleared knife amnesty bins for the first time since lockdown started, revealing that a total of 554 knives have been handed in. This significant number shows that the public remains committed to removing weapons from the streets.
The #ForeverAmnesty initiative, a collaboration between GMP and the British Ironwork Centre, has now been made permanent. The campaign gained widespread attention following its successful launch in September and aims to reduce knife crime throughout Greater Manchester.
Sergeant Paul Nolan from GMP’s Violence Reduction Unit commented: “554 knives handed in since February is huge, especially as we didn’t advertise the bins during lockdown. The bins stayed open throughout the pandemic to give people a safe way to ditch weapons if they felt vulnerable.”
He added, “Every knife dropped off is one less weapon on our streets — and one less crime waiting to happen. This isn’t about secrecy. People can safely hand over knives at police stations using our bins, which is working well.”
The efforts to combat violent crime extend beyond the amnesty bins. GMP is working alongside UK Border Force, Royal Mail, and other partners to prevent dangerous weapons from entering Greater Manchester. Targeted operations are underway to locate knives stored for criminal use.
Sergeant Nolan also highlighted the importance of prevention: “We’re also focusing on education and engagement with young people, aiming to prevent knife crime before it happens. It’s about communities and early intervention.”
Bev Hughes, Deputy Mayor for Policing in Greater Manchester, stated: “The knife amnesty has been fantastic. We’re committed to taking weapons off the streets and tough policing where needed. But we also need to tackle the reasons why people carry knives in the first place.”
She continued, “Our Serious Violence Action Plan will invest £500,000 in community projects across six areas. It’s all about local solutions and working together to keep people safe.”
The Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit, established in 2019 with support from the Home Office, brings together police, local authorities, schools, health services, and youth workers. Their focus includes:
- Increasing awareness in schools about the dangers of knife crime
- Supporting young people at risk
- Running targeted police operations to seize weapons and disrupt illegal sales
- Engaging communities to create safer neighbourhoods
If you suspect someone is carrying or hiding a knife, or know of knives concealed in your area, contact police on 101 to help remove these dangerous weapons from the streets.
Originally published by UKNIP.
