Overview
- The NPCC‑led initiative runs 17–23 November, mobilising forces from Dorset and West Mercia to Merseyside, North Yorkshire, Wiltshire and Greater Manchester.
- Tactics include hotspot weapon sweeps, stop‑and‑searches and knife detection arches, alongside amnesty bins at stations and public sites for anonymous surrender.
- Police are conducting age‑check test purchases using cadets to block under‑18 knife sales, with West Mercia and Wiltshire placing particular focus on retailer compliance.
- Prevention efforts feature school assemblies and youth programmes such as Operation Prospect and Steer Clear, reinforced by regional coordination from PCCs and the North East taskforce.
- Recent context cited by forces includes an 8% annual fall in knife‑enabled crime in Merseyside and 1,669 knives destroyed in Southampton since 2024, while low‑incidence areas stress zero tolerance.