A record number of knives were surrendered last month in the latest knife amnesty which saw knife bins introduced across Hertfordshire.
During the amnesty, 680 knives were deposited in bins in St Albans, Watford, Hatfield and many more.
A total of 21 knives were surrendered at bins in St Albans Civic Centre between March 11 and March 17.
Hertfordshire Constabulary took part in the national event in a bid to tackle the increase in knife related incidents across the country.
Katharine Harper, who works at Billy’s Wish, a charity that was set up to tackle knife crime after Billy Dove was stabbed to death in 2011, believes that knife bins are an excellent idea.
She said: “Knife bins are an excellent thing in principal. If knives are off our streets, it’s better for all of us. They are a safe place for people to get rid of a weapon which they know they shouldn’t be owning, using or carrying.
“They also remove the danger of knives being hidden in public spaces, like a park or the woods – the risk being that it could be discovered by children or young people who could be hurt or even use them themselves.”
However, Katharine also revealed that the feedback they have received is that people are reluctant to travel to neighbouring towns to surrender their knife due to the increase of getting caught with it.
Thank you for covering this.
We really do need knife bins in Dacorum, it doesn’t make sense that we don’t have any when Hemel Hempstead is the second highest populated town in Hertfordshire.