Sceptre – Knife Crime Intensification Week: 19 – 25 May 2025

Today sees the start of Sceptre Week – a national intensification week focusing on knife crime. We, along with our Violence and Vulnerability Partners, have a wide range of activities happening throughout the week to highlight the dangers of carrying a knife.

Essex Police are carrying out knife sweeps, retailer engagement and deploying Knife Arches and Open Gates in areas of high footfall – highlighting the enforcement and preventative work that takes place across the county to keep our communities safe. Partners will also be carrying out engagement events within the community, in school settings, and in local projects that work with young people, to educate on knife harm.

We are working closely with the young people we support – through projects such as ReRoute, to give them targeted support and information on knife harm, and we are running information sessions with professionals on the services the VVU offer.

Through our social media channels we are highlighting our award winning knife harm campaign which encourages parents and carers to have conversations with their children about the risks and dangers of carrying a knife. Films and resources are available to help the conversation.

Knife enabled crime continues to reduce across Essex and the V&V Partnership wants to use the Sceptre Intensification Week to elevate awareness of the excellent work organisations do to fight knife harm in the community every day, whilst continuing to educate on the devastating impact of knife crime.

For more information on knife harm visit www.essexvvu.co.uk/knives