Thames Valley Police will complete the force-wide roll out of Operation Deter as a part of its fight against knife crime in the next two weeks.
In July 2022, Thames Valley Police launched Operation Deter, a zero-tolerance knife crime operation, in Milton Keynes
The force chose Milton Keynes as its pilot area for the scheme due to there being a particular community concern about knife crime after a number of tragic incidents.
Operation Deter is a zero tolerance approach to knife crime, seeking swift charge and remand decisions to those who carry knives, and has been driven by the force and the Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC), Matthew Barber. It focusses on prosecution, intervention and prevention.
The approach begins with a focus on early intervention and prevention to stop young people being drawn into crime and violence in the first place.
Then, the force delivers proactive policing to target the small number of people who carry and use knives and to police these hotspot places where violence occurs.
Through Op Deter principles, if intervention and prevention does not work, the force apply robust criminal justice processes to deliver a swift outcome and consequences.
Operation Deter’s main objective is to make better use of charging and remanding offenders aged over 18 to court, sending a robust message to anyone found in possession of a knife.
PCC Matthew Barber said: “Tackling knife crime is a top priority for Thames Valley Police and I want to reassure residents that the possession and carrying of knives will not be tolerated.
“We have been steadily rolling out Op Deter across the Thames Valley, and it will now come into place in South Bucks, Windsor & Maidenhead, Cherwell & West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale and Bracknell & Wokingham local policing areas.
“This tough approach has already shown positive signs since the initial roll-out in Milton Keynes last year.
“I hope to see this trend continue across the whole of the Thames Valley, where we will seek to charge and remand to court those who choose to carry knives.”
The force says that since its initial launch in Milton Keynes on 1 July 2022, 774 adults have been arrested for simple possession in the areas where Op Deter has come into force.
Of these, 37% have been charged and remanded with 6% charged and bailed – more than 300 cases.
MKFM have contacted Thames Valley Police for Milton Keynes-based statistics.
Force lead for Op Deter, Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Taylor, said: “These figures show that many who choose to carry knives are charged and remanded while still in custody, meaning we immediately charge them to court.
“Whilst we have always taken a robust approach to the possession of knives in the Thames Valley, we are dedicating more resources to seeking out those who think it is acceptable to be in possession of weapons, particularly knives.
“Our approach to how we deal with those carrying weapons has changed. We will seek to charge those carrying weapons on the day of their arrest and remand them in custody with a view to making sure perpetrators face the very real prospect of going straight to jail for having a weapon.
“Our communities play a vital role in our fight against knife crime.
“If you have any information or know of someone who is carrying a knife, you can report this to us on 101 or online, or for 100% anonymity, by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
