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Police set up scanner to check pupils for weapons
Benedict Moore-Bridger, Evening Standard03.07.08
Children in Purley had to pass through an airport-style security scanner as police continued a clampdown on knife crime.
The move was part of Operation Blunt 2, launched six weeks ago after a series of killings.
Around 20 police and community support officers were involved in the searches in Surrey, which took place as the children made their way home from school.
Scotland Yard said officers had now searched nearly 27,000 youths since the operation began and seized 528 knives.
There have been 1,214 arrests, 813 of which were for possession of weapons and a further 217 for knife-related crimes.
Mayor Boris Johnson said of the police operation: "It is not a short-term whirlwind offensive against knives.
"It is a sustained visible longterm operation and it is vital to recognise that we cannot hope to succeed by police work alone."
Reader views (2)
This is just the beginning of "airport-style security scanners" in England, if not all of Europe. Wherever you have exploding populations, you need tighter security and more police. Just ask the U.S. Or ask Malmo, Sweden: because their authorities were refusing to provide better security in the face of sky-rocketing crime, vigilante groups comprised of indigenous Swedes were threatening to carry out justice with baseball bats. However, Prime Minister Persson had said that "to start sending out signals about strengthening the police is to break with the political line we have chosen to follow." Here in the U.S. we have those who put their political party before their principles, too. They're usually called Democrats.
- Allan, Tampa, Florida
What? Are those schoolgirls really likely to have knives with them? And if they are, would they not be used for peeling apples for apple pie during home economics?
Come on you London Garda, get real!
- Jabadaw, Cavan Ireland
