Police plan to ramp up the use of stop and search following a spate of stabbings in Hounslow , including the killing of Sahil Roy .
But the borough commander has reassured residents that the incidents are unconnected and follow a significant drop in knife crime overall.
Chief Superintendent Raj Kohli said: “We’re going to reinvigorate stop-and-search. We’re a very successful stop-and-search borough, with 25-30% of people we stop being arrested or given some sort of ticket.
“But I’m concerned that the volume of stop-and-search has gone down a bit... If there’s a perception it’s safe to carry a knife in Hounslow I’m going to restore that protection.
“I will be encouraging officers to stop and search appropriately and proportionately but to use those powers to the full extent.
“There’s a balance between not going over the top and searching anything that moves, and being scared of our own shadows and not searching anyone because we’re afraid of the consequences if nothing’s found.”
Three stabbings in 13 days
He added that searches would be carried out in association with ongoing sweeps for weapons hidden on the streets.
Mr Kohli was speaking after Mr Roy was stabbed to death on the Ivybridge estate in Isleworth on Sunday, April 10.
That was one of three stabbings in the borough in the space of less than a fortnight.
On Friday, April 1, a 52-year-old man was slashed with a knife on the same estate, close to Asda, while on Wednesday (April 13), a man in his 20s was rushed to hospital after being found with stab wounds close to the troubled Watermead estate in Bedfont .
Speaking after Mr Roy's death, one resident on the Ivybridge estate said youths were openly carrying knives .
Mr Kohli said his thoughts were with Mr Roy’s family following his “tragic” death, but it was important not to exaggerate the extent of knife crime in the borough.
Violence driven by 'business disputes' between drug dealers
He said the recent incidents were unconnected and knife crime across Hounslow had fallen by around 10% between May 2015 and February this year.
Mr Kohli insisted there was not a gang problem in Hounslow, though he recognised there was some violence driven by what he described as "business disputes" between individual drug dealers over territory.
He said police would be stepping up drugs searches in and around the Ivybridge estate after speaking to residents there.
But he was keen to point out this was in response to residents' concerns and in no way connected to the circumstances of Mr Roy’s death.
“My view is that drug dealing and drug misuse on that estate will be a priority for the coming weeks and months,” he said.
“The clear message is to get rid of drugs and don’t get involved in drugs because otherwise we will find you and arrest you.”
A man is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Friday (April 15) charged with the murder of Sahil Roy.
