Sceptre: Knife Crime Intensification Action Week supported by PFCC Essex, Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit and partners

Yesterday (Monday 19 May) was the beginning of Sceptre Week – a national intensification week focusing on knife crime, running till Sunday 25 May. The PFCC Essex, 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 are carrying out engagement events within the community, in school settings, and in local projects that work with young people, to educate on knife harm.

The Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit, funded by the PFCC, will be highlighting their work with young people across Essex, distributing information on knife harm, holding information sessions with professionals on the services we offer, and encouraging parents and carers to have conversations with their children about the risks and dangers of carrying a knife. Resources are available on the VVU website www.essexvvu.co.uk/knives to help the conversation.

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: "Knife crime devastates lives, families, and communities. During Knife Crime Intensification Week, we are reinforcing our commitment to tackling this issue.

"In Essex, we have seen a 5% decrease in knife-enabled crime since May 2024. That’s 82 fewer incidents of knife-enabled crime in Essex, with a total of 1,449 incidents recorded in the 12 months to Thursday 15 May. In a county of 1.9m people, knife crime is rare.

“Young people across Essex have told us that fear of knife violence is real and rising. That’s why we’re investing in early intervention, education, and community-led initiatives through our Violence and Vulnerability Unit.

“These long-term preventative efforts deliver benefits 3.5 times greater than their cost by steering people away from crime.

“We must keep having the tough conversations, support those at risk, and work together to make our streets safer. Prevention is key—every life deterred from violence is a life potentially saved."

The PFCC has also supported Julie Taylor of the Liam Taylor Legacy, set up by Julie who tragically lost her grandson, Liam, in 2020. The partners work to place life-saving bleed kits in communities throughout Essex.

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, added: “The PFCC has long worked in partnership with Julie Taylor. She is an inspiration, she is dedicated and works tirelessly, and it is no understatement to say her work is of the utmost importance to driving down deaths from knife crime in Essex. “

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.