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Knife scanners on streets
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor13.05.08
Scotland Yard today announced a new operation to curb knife crime in London.
Police are to set up mobile airport-style metal detectors on the streets to carry out searches for weapons.
Officers will also mount more stop and searches on suspects in areas where there is intelligence about people carrying knives.
Met Assistant Commissioner Tim Godwin, who is in charge of street policing, said: "We want to create an environment that is hostile to anyone carrying a weapon. Enough is enough."
The operation was announced after Boris Johnson ordered an "urgent operational response" to the murder of 22-year-old Steven Bigby in Oxford Street.
His deputy mayor for policing, Kit Malthouse, met senior officers today to discuss how to crack down on knife and gun crime.
The Mayor has already said he wants weapons scanners to be installed at rail stations, more police on the streets and for young people to be diverted away from a life of crime.
Speaking to Nick Ferrari on LBC 97.3, Mr Johnson said the four stabbings in London over the past three days underlined the need for a new approach.
He continued: "It is the single biggest concern for millions of Londoners - the level of crime and particularly the level of violent crime.
"Of course, we can't change this culture overnight, we can't change the culture of stabbing and the gang culture, but what we can do is take responsibility and address two things. Number one: the policing solutions ... that's got to be in the region of rolling out more scanners, arches at public transport hubs to detect the guns and knives.
"We've got to get more police out on the street but the other thing we've got to do - and that's why I'm so pleased that Ray Lewis has come on board as Deputy Mayor - is deal with the culture of youth violence."
When asked when and where the new weapons scanners would be sited, Mr Johnson said: "I can't give you the answer to that now, but we are going to be mounting an urgent operational response and we'll be discussing with the police exactly what we can do over the next few days." Mr Lewis told BBC's Newsnight programme last night that the spate of murders and knife attacks in the capital was a "rising onslaught".
Westminster councillor Daniel Astaire said today: "Knife crime is a pan-London problem and has been acknowledged by the Mayor as a priority to tackle.
"It is tragic that it has finally manifested itself in the centre of London's shopping district but I would like to reassure visitors and shoppers that this is an exceptionally rare occurrence and Oxford Street, which 100 million people visit every year, is a safe place to shop and enjoy yourself." The murder follows a spate of knife attacks in London as figures revealed the true scale of violence involving young people. While there have been 39 teenage murders in the capital since January last year, the Met statistics obtained by BBC London showed 69 people under the age of 25 were killed in the same period.
There is also mounting criticism of new sentencing guidelines which mean anyone caught carrying a blade may escape with only a fine or community sentence if the courts believe they "are not used to threaten or cause fear".
Reader views (2)
Stop and Search. Targeted at the youth. One year jail term for inch of lockable blade carried. Police should be allowed to target obviously suspicious groups without having to search pensioners too due to political correctness. And any immigrants found carrying weapons chuck them out straightaway - we've got enough homegrown scum without harbouring more.
- Squiz, Islington
Shame to the government that has imprisoned us into fright.Is a shame that the government once again want to give a pat to the back of the knifers by fine to pay or community sentence for carrying weapons.Are these law makers not educated enough to know that prevention is cheaper that cure? Is it not the same government that spends tax payers' money to give security to Iraq and Afghanistan when we are not even secured at home? Which war is worse than the war that you don't even know your enemy?Is it not better to put these knifers in the military and send them to the front line? 10 years does not seem to be too much for carrying weapon because if he stabs someone, that victim is not coming back to life again. It is about time for the government to know that even the HOOD should be prohibited in the public places. Let absolute power return to the police and be less friendly.
Thank God Boris Mayor knows what freedom means. Uniformed police are not wise but non-uniform police who look like ordinary passengers is what we need and be ready for instant arrest even on those that always need two seats for themselves because they need one for their dirty feet.
I am of the opinion that the military barracks needs expansion rather than the prison.
- Uche, london
