The Metropolitan Police is carrying out a series of activities in the run up to the school summer holidays in an attempt to deter young people from carrying knives and prevent offences during the six week break.

This week, as part of Operation Spectre, officers from the Met alongside officers from British Transport Police and City of London Police will be focusing on prevention by conducting intelligence led stop and search operations at key transport hubs during specific times such as at the end of the school day.

School officers will also be engaging with young people in schools to ensure they know the dangers involved in carrying a knife around.

Metropolitan Police recovered these weapons as part of the operation in June

"We know that the summer period can see an increase in knife offences, so are ensuring we take positive action to try and prevent offences by working with our fellow police colleagues to remove knives and offensive weapons before any harm is caused," said Operation Sceptre's acting detective chief superintendent Sean Yates.

Superintendent Jenny Gilmer, from British Transport Police, said: "There will be an increase in our activity around transport hubs in the coming months and we want to help get the message out that carrying a knife is never acceptable."

Operation Spectre was launched in July 2015 and is aimed at tackling knife crime in London by targeting not only those who carry and use knives, but also those who supply, provide access to and import weapons.

The operation has resulted in the recovery and removal of 1,435 weapons from the capital's streets and 2,294 arrests of which 473 were for possession of a knife or weapon, police said.

Changing hearts and minds

So far, the operation has resulted in the recovery and removal of 1,435 weapons

Mr Yates said: "The commissioner recently met with a group of young people from across London at a community round table discussion to get a different perspective about why young people carry knives and how we can all come together to drive down knife crime.

"At the event, the commissioner highlighted how enforcement can only get us so far.

"What we really need to focus on is reducing offences: by changing hearts and minds; attitudes and behaviours.

"The work of our schools officers and the various projects and conferences across the Met are helping to achieve this."

Other projects aimed at deterring young people from knife crime have also been running including work on a short film highlighting the dangers, created by Met Film School in Ealing along with local officers.

In the borough of Brent, officers plan to hold a knife crime conference aimed at making parents and carers aware of what knife crime is and how they can play a role in preventing it.

More than 100 Primary Schools have also taken part in a challenge testing knowledge around issues including knife crime, drugs, social media and criminal responsibility.

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