Search arches used as a deterrent for knife crime in schools

Lancashire Police are bringing search arches and hand held metal detectors into secondary schools in Preston.

This is in response to their findings that the average age of a knife attacker is 18 years and their victim 17 years.

They want to deter youths from carrying knives by showing them that devices can be used to check for hidden weapons.

To raise awareness

The knife detectors have been brought into schools Tulketh area in a month long initiative to raise awareness of knife crime and the measures police are taking to stop it.

Police Community Support Officer for Tulketh Paul Hayes said: “The initiative is not because Tulketh has a problem with knives. Knife crime is a huge problem all over the country and we want to show children in the area that steps are being taken to stop knife crime.”

Some of the knives collected by Lancashire Police in the past month

Knife detection arches are becoming more frequent in public places such as pubs and airports. Police feel it is important to accustom children to seeing these so that they understand why they are being used.

Inner city problem

Knife crime within schools is not a significant problem for
Lancashire police. It tends to affect inner city deprived areas, where some schools have resorted to erecting the search arches permanently.

Criminalise young people

The arches act as a deterrent to prevent youths from bringing knives to school. There has been some concern that this criminalises young people as it subjects them to criminal searches when they enter school.

Education is a better way to stop knife crime

Police Constable Steve McDonnell from Lancashire Armed Response said “The arches act as a slight deterrent but we need to educate young people as to why it is dangerous to carry a knife.” He has teamed up with North West Ambulance service to deliver a hard hitting presentation to school children called ‘Be Sharp Think Sharp’.