Knife-Crime Supersedes Terrorism as England's Biggest Public Safety Concern

[DaveM55]

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011517800

London, England (AHN) -- Knife-crime has replaced terrorism as the number one threat to public safety, according to British police.

With 18 murders by knife so far this year, and 9 of those occurring in the first 10 weeks, Deputy Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson reportedly announced that the police force is forming a special knife-crime unit, which will send officers specially trained to randomly search known gang members and their associates who are suspected of carrying or supplying the illegal weapons.

The increase in stabbings has been a growing problem in recent years. In 2007, 27 people were killed by the blade. Statistics show those at highest risk are young males, 14-24, often black or Asian inner-city gang members.

To combat this phenomenon, police initiated Operation Blunt 2 in May, in which officers used scanners similar to those found in airports to detect weapons. While 500 knives were seized, and 1,200 arrests made in the 27,000 searches, police are saying it hasn't done enough to stop the violence.

One statistic gathered under the Freedom of Information Act showed that every 24 minutes in the U.K. there is a knife crime. While the majority do not end in death, thousands every year incur injuries and trauma from stabbings.

Carrying knives is generally illegal in the U.K, unless the knife meets certain regulations. A folding pocket knife 3 inches or less is allowed.

Police say the majority of people caught carrying knives say they carry them for protection.

[Brown-Bear]

[quote=DaveM55;352727]http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011517800Statistics show those at highest risk are young males, 14-24, often black or Asian inner-city gang members.QUOTE]


Then who cares if they're stabbing each other. No innocent person ever died from a stray blade thrown during a driveby stabbing, did they. Don't get me wrong I see them banning knives soon as well, just like they did with guns. I cannot for the life of me see how they have not realized their mistakes yet, but oh well, maybe someday they will.

Dave

[moose]

Heh, once they ban knives the gangs will just go back to using even less effective means of killing. Baseball bats, 2x4s, etc. There is always something else to use out there...

[Kai19103]

About 12 years ago while coming out of a bar/pool hall with my uncle in San Antonio TX a guy walked up to us with a knife and said, "Gimme your wallets." My uncle didn't miss a beat, he pulled out his S&W (He was off duty as an Atascosa County Sheriff Deputy) and said, "Son, didn't anyone ever tell you not to bring a knife to a gunfight."

the dude turned and ran like hell. My uncle didn't even hint at chasing he just jumped in his truck laughing his ass off. As we pulled out he told me that he'd been waiting years to use that line since he had heard it in a movie and that the dude had made his whole week.

[shefearsnothing]

Am I still allowed to carry a nail file with me? I am pretty sure I can't take it into any of the SCHOOLS around here but.... what about walking down the street? Do I need a permit for that? Are they going to card me at Walmart to buy a new one? It is going to come to that....

Was recently debating this on my own forum with some extreme liberals. We were discussing how they want to get rid of everyone's rights to carry firearms and how people are killed with knives and do they want to outlaws those and everything else? What is next? How many people are killed because of alcohol? It is OUT OF CONTOL!!! JMO of course.

[Kai19103]

Jump into my time machine and lets see the future...




July 14, 2011 - London England:

After outlawing Guns, knives, sticks and scissors Parliment yesterday announced they will be ridding the citizenry of the menace that is...



... FORKS. Henceforth all food in the united kingdom will be consumed with plastic sporks. Some MP's have also suggested that all utinsils be banned as they may be deamed as culturily insensitive to our muslim brothers who mainly eat with their hands...


Tune in next week when we discuss shoes: Usefull foot coverings or that horrible invention that encourages you to go outside where bad people might find you.

[shefearsnothing]

Kai19103, shoes are not going to be allowed...don't you know? You can strangle someone with the laces.