MP Philip Davies calls for action to tackle knife crime

Knife crime in an ongoing problem across the UK, and Bradford and West Yorkshire are not exempt.

Shipley MP Sir Philip Davies said: “Increasing numbers of constituents are telling me they are concerned about knife crime - particularly in the centre of Bradford - and want to see more robust policing on this issue.

“Residents tell me they think some parts of Bradford are no-go areas because they don’t feel safe.”

Bradford city centre at night (Image: T&A Camera Club/Akhlaq Ahmed)

The number of zombie knife crimes across West Yorkshire has jumped by 32 per cent in the last three years alone, with the highest figures recorded last year, 2023, according to an investigation by Personal Injury Claims UK earlier this year.

But West Yorkshire Police said there has been an 11 per cent reduction in knife crime offending over the past six months and reducing it further and raising awareness of the dangers of carrying knives remain a key priority this year.

The force also runs Operation Jemlock – a dedicated initiative for tackling knife and violent crime - and officers in the team continue to be deployed in knife crime hot spots.

This is to proactively hunt down offenders using a variety of policing tactics and powers, and provide an extra visible policing presence to deter offending.

Officers on the operation had made more than 10,500 arrests since it began in 2019, carried out more than 11,500 stop and searches, and seized 2,500 weapons off the street.

Sir Philip is now calling for more stop and searches to be carried out by the region’s officers, to act as a deterrent to those thinking they can get away with carrying a knife.

He is set to raise the issue with West Yorkshire Chief Constable John Robins.

Shipley MP Philip Davies (Image: Other)

Sir Philip said: “What is clear is that we are seeing a rise in knife crime and something needs to be done about it.

“If more stop and searches are needed as a preventative measure or to send out a message that there is a high chance of stop and search and charges being brought, then I believe it should happen.

“If people are not doing anything wrong, they have nothing to fear from this.”

West Yorkshire Police has a number of other initiatives to try to tackle knife crime and works with partners as part of this.

This includes the West Yorkshire Combined Authority-hosted Violence Reduction Partnership. 

Established in 2019, it funds key knife crime intervention work across communities to try and prevent offending from taking place. 

The partnership worked with 46 organisations, supporting over 14,000 young people under the age of 25 in 2022/23.

Chief Inspector James Kitchen of West Yorkshire Police’s Operation Jemlock said: “We know residents remain very concerned about knife offending and we remain committed to the significant work we are conducting to reduce it.

“Our enforcement operations and patrols to take offenders and weapons off the streets continue as does the huge investment in knife crime awareness work in communities, and young people within them in particular.

“It is no exaggeration to say that police and partners have now engaged with tens of thousands of young people across West Yorkshire about the dangers of carrying knives.

“We are confident the vast majority of those teenagers don’t, and won’t, carry knives.

“We would also stress that the vast majority of our young people are not involved in this kind of offending. 

“We and our partners continue to work with partners to reach the minority who do carry weapons to understand why they feel they must do so, and the culture and pressures which drive this.

“Clearly this work goes far beyond policing, and this is a process which will take a long time and need a great deal of support from communities.

He added: “Significant resources are employed to investigate all reports of knife crime, with long sentences often given when convictions are brought.

“We do understand some victims may be reluctant to come forward or support investigations for a variety of reasons, and would urge those people to speak with us to see what further support we can offer.

“Operation Jemlock remain resolute in our drive to catch and convict those who continue to carry knives.

"The message from communities, families and friends couldn’t be any clearer in that it is never acceptable to carry knives.

"For those who continue to put theirs and others lives at risk it will only be a matter of time before you are arrested or you become a victim of knife crime."