‘Be Sharp, Think Sharp’ educational presentation tackling knife crime in secondary schools

Police from Lancashire’s Armed Response unit are going into secondary schools to educate pupils about the dangers of carrying a knife. They do this though a presentation called ‘Be Sharp Think Sharp’.

Police Constable Steve McDonnell and Andy Green have teamed up with North West Ambulance service to deliver a strong presentation about knives and the affects of carrying one.

They use shock tactics and graphic pictures of knife injuries to get through to teenagers.

The idea

The concept of delivering life skills to students was thought up two years ago. Pc McDonnell said: “I arrested a youth aged 13 in Blackpool for carrying a knife, only to realise that the boy was in my daughter’s class at school. This brought the problem home to me and the ‘Be Sharp, Think Sharp’ educational initiative came from this.”

Who is at risk?

Lancashire Police say that teenagers aged between 14 and 24 are the most at risk from knife crime. There have been about 440 victims of knife attacks in the county this year.

PC McDonnell said: “I hope that the ‘Be Sharp, Think Sharp’ presentation will help to decrease this number by addressing the citizens of the future who are most affected by knife crime.” The presentation has been given to more than 16,000 secondary school children across Lancashire. It hopes to go into every secondary school in the county and then extend to further education.



View Larger Map

Key Red Pins- Areas of high knife crime in Preston
Blue Points- Schools which have been given the 'Be Sharp, Think Sharp' presentation

The 'Be Sharp, Think Sharp Presentation'

The 25 minute presentation couples facts with shocking graphics of knife wounds. It deters students by informing them of the wider implications of carrying a knife, which could lead to a loss of friends and career as well as a criminal record.

The presentation informs students of the facts and corrects false positive ideas about carrying knives. PC McDonnell and PC Green use visual aids to get their message across. A police video is used to show how police catch knife criminals and deter students from carrying knives. This video serves to shock the students as it shows a youth being paralysed with a taser gun after being hit by 50,000 volts of electricity.

They also use a 2 litre bottle filled with water and red dye. This represents 40% of the blood in a young person’s body. The police empty the contents of the bottle to show how quickly a young person can lose blood when they are stabbed. This visual aid was seen as particularly effective in conveying the message.

Students are also taught practical steps to take if faced with a knife attack. They are instructed in basic first aid as well as what to do if they see someone with a knife.

Limacharlie

Students are encouraged to visit the Lancashire Constabulary website Limacharlie to learn more about knife crime and give the police an idea of the amount of young people affected by knife crime.

A model to be followed

Schools have responded positively to the presentation. One student from Weddington School near Kirby Lonsdale said that he used to carry a knife but that the presentation had changed his mind.



The success of ‘Be Sharp, Think Sharp’ has led Greater Manchester Metropolitan Police to adopt a similar scheme and has been noticed by the Home Office who may look to introduce something similar nationally.

Schools have followed up the presentation in a variety of different ways depending on the needs of their students.