We’re promoting #KnifeFreeRugby

We’re promoting #KnifeFreeRugby 

RUGBY Borough Council is promoting a Knife Free Rugby during Knife Crime Awareness Week. 

This follows last week’s amnesty with Op Sceptre; a weeklong operation by Warwickshire Police to reduce knife crime and raise awareness of the dangers of carrying a knife. 

The operation has given a chance to bring awareness to the forefront, and spread the message across our communities about the dangers of knife crime. The week of action has seen the return of knife surrender bins at the police stations in Nuneaton, Rugby, Leamington, and Stratford. 

Anyone can surrender a knife anonymously, no questions asked. 

The council is also supporting Op Talkative, a new scheme with the police and Community Safety Partnership calling for friends and relatives of those who are carrying knives to come forward and report concerns. 

Claire Baldwin, Rugby Borough Council Community Warden Team Leader, said: “Rugby Borough Council’s Community Wardens work in partnership with Rugby police to educate, engage and raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime and its impact. 

“We aim to stop those intent on carrying a knife with early intervention.” 

Inspector Hembry, Warwickshire Police said: “Our key message this May is that if you know a young person who is carrying a knife, or you suspect them of it, the kindest thing you can do is to get in touch with us. 

“As part of Op Talkative, we have been asking people, ‘if you knew your friend was carrying a knife and they used it injure or kill somebody, could you live with yourself?’ 

“And that’s what it comes down to – we want people to stand up and help us to protect the people they care about from making disastrous decisions. 

“Out of the small number of young people who carry knives in Warwickshire, we know that many will be doing so out of fear. 

“Carrying a knife only makes someone more likely to be stabbed. It also means that what might have been a low-level confrontation is escalated to deadly violence in a fraction of a second because both people have pulled knives.  

“So the message is that if you care about someone, the best thing you can do is report them. 

“If we catch people carrying knives in the street – or using them – they can expect serious consequences. 

“But what we want to make clear is that if we can intervene early on there are all sorts of things we can do to get young people out of this lifestyle and to help them have a future.” 

To learn more about Operation Talkative, and for more information on reporting concerns, visit Operation Talkative | Warwickshire Police 

Have a concern? Report it: 

If you have concerns about someone carrying a knife you can report it to www.warwickshire.police.uk/report or call 101. Please quote ‘Op Talkative’ when making the report. If someone is in immediate danger please call 999. 

If you would like to remain anonymous you can make a report to the independent charity Crimestoppers at crimestopper-uk.org or by calling them on 0800 555 111.