The Metropolitan Police is trialling new legislation to give curfews to anyone aged 12 and over known to carry a knife.
The aim of the Knife Crime Prevention Order (KCPO) is to cut down on knife crime in London. The Met also hope it will prevent young people from entering a life of violent crime.
Those under the KCPO can be given a curfew, or stopped from going to specific places or seeing certain people.
It will also require various commitments, such as life skills programmes, drug rehabilitation and anger management classes.
‘A valuable tactic’
T/Commander Ade Adelekan from the Metropolitan Police Service said, “Knife Crime Prevention Orders will allow police more options and will be a valuable tactic in preventing and tackling violence in London.”
“They will allow intervention at an early stage and divert vulnerable people at risk of becoming serious criminals by supporting them to make better lifestyle changes away from violence.
“Also, they will enable police to monitor the individual and enforce the law on them if they breach it. Both outcomes helping to keep our communities safe.”
New Knife Crime Prevention Orders will help to identify and divert vulnerable young people at risk of becoming serious criminals and away from being further drawn into violence.#TacklingViolenceTogether https://t.co/owgr4P8RyR
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) July 7, 2021
Tom Gaymor is an ambassador for DIVERT, a custody programme designed to divert young people away from offending. He said, “This is a child-focused approach which I hope will reduce violent knife-enabled crime and create a safer society for young people to grow up in.”
The new legislation will be trialled for 14 months. The impact of the KCPOs will be assessed with support from the University of Cambridge and University College London.
The aim is to introduce the orders to police forces across the UK.
