Every London school to be offered knife-detectors

Every school in London is to be offered knife detectors to enable students to be screened for hidden weapons, Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced.

It forms one part of the biggest ever campaign in London against knife crime which has so far this year led to the stabbing to death of 24 people aged 25 or below on the streets of London, Xinhua news agency reported.

Just this week, London's Metropolitan Police (Met) launched three separate murder probe following stabbings in Canning Town, East Ham and Islington.

The Met on Tuesday revealed that during a week-long campaign, known as Operation Sceptre, 518 knives, 11 firearms and 50 offensive weapons were recovered in police operations.

Police officers made 622 arrests, including 180 for possession of a knife or an offensive weapon.

Khan said, "No young Londoner should have to accept crime and violence as a way of life. We are working to provide them with the skills, the resources and the confidence they need to turn away from knives and lead the life they deserve in our city."

The Mayor has launched a new tough and comprehensive Knife Crime Strategy, with an additional $800,000 for knife and gang crime projects. Total spending in the war on knives and gang crime was $9 million.

Measures in Khan's initiative include empowering communities with funds to do more to protect young people and spread the message that carrying a knife is more likely to ruin your life than to save it.

More prevention and police work will also be introduced to crack down on offenders and get dangerous weapons off London's streets.

The Mayor's office said that between 2014 and 2015, knife crime in London rose by 5 percent. In 2016, knife crime across England and Wales rose by 14 percent, compared to 11 percent in London.

--IANS

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