Stop-search sees knife crime drop 10%

KNIFE crime in London has fallen by 10 per cent in the past year after an increased use of stop and search, the Met announced today.

New figures show 6,439 knife offences were recorded in the capital in the 12 months to the end of September.

That compares with 7,167 for the same period a year earlier, which means a drop of 10.2 per cent, or 728 fewer offences, over the year.

The latest monthly figure for September, shows an even steeper decline in knife offending with 198 fewer offences this year than last, a fall of nearly 18 per cent. Although there was no immediate breakdown to explain the types of knife crime in which the biggest falls have occurred, the declining total suggests the Met's focus on tackling blade offences is paying dividends.

Among the tactics used to combat the problem are a dramatically increased use of stop and search including the deployment of metal search arches and an intensive publicity campaign warning young people who might contemplate carrying a knife for protection about the risks. Equally importantly, the drop in knife offences also follows the introduction of a tougher approach by both prosecutors and police towards knife offenders.

Such measures were introduced in response to a wave of stabbings and shootings in London which has led to the death of more than 50 teenagers in the capital since the start of last year, although the surge in fatalities earlier in the year has also eased recently.Today's Met figures came as the Home Office prepared to issue similar statistics on knife crime nationally over the three-months between April and June this year.

In a blow to ministers, however, there was also criticism today from MPs on the Commons public accounts committee, which warned in a report that a lack of government funding and support for crime-reduction projects such as the Safer Schools programme was hindering the fight against violent crime.