Police launch Operation Deter to combat knife crime in Milton Keynes

The city was rocked by four murders committed over just a 13-week period involving bladed weapons.

Four months on from the tragic surge in murders, Thames Valley Police has announced Operation Deter.

It aims to disrupt all aspects of knife crime from prosecution, intervention and prevention.

The force wants to use harsher and prompter punishments to deter young people from carrying knives and aims to remove a knife-carrying culture which has infested Milton Keynes.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley Matthew Barber said: “The concept is very simple.

"Those who carry knives in public, and thereby endanger others, should feel the swift and tough consequences of their actions.

"This does not require a change in the law, but a change in approach from the agencies entrusted to uphold the law.”

The commissioner wants to push knife crime incidents through the legal system more quickly, whether it relates to possession or more violent offences.

While Operation Deter aims to create a more ‘hostile environment’ for young people carrying knives, there is also a rehabilitation element to the new project.

Working alongside schools and charities it is hoped that the police can intervene and turn around the lives of vulnerable children who may be drawn into knife carrying culture.

When someone under 18 is arrested for a knife-related crime in Milton Keynes the Youth Offending Team has a two-hour target and is expected to meet with that child’s parents in that time.

A further meeting will take place within 48 hours to establish an intervention plan for that child.

Parents and friends who may believe their child or companions have started carrying these life-altering weapons are encouraged to take advantage of the intervention programme.

Commissioner Barber added: “Referring someone to Op Deter, a child, a pupil, even contacting the police yourself means you can get help.”

Assistant Chief Constable Tim De Meyer told The MK Citizen that the scheme will be an ‘intensification’ of the tactics the police force effectively uses to combat knife crime.

Police officers will be using an intelligence-led stop and search approach to getting knives off the street.

Thames Valley Police reports that knife crime was down by 12% across the area and 11% in Milton Keynes last year, although Covid-related stay at home orders likely impacted those figures.

The Assistant Chief Constable told The Citizen: “Milton Keynes is a very big and populous place.

"And the vast majority of people are law-abiding, leading lives which are safe, where they are not at risk and do not pose a risk to anyone else.

"One only has to look at how thriving a city Milton Keynes is when it comes to business and sport to see that obviously it is a safe and successful place.

"In the last year we have had four homicides.

"That is a relatively low number of cases when you consider the overall population.

"But each of those cases is of course the most terrible tragedy.

"It has absolutely ruined so many lives.

"So, I emphasise that most people in Milton Keynes do not need to fear violence nor will they ever come across violence, but where there is concern about knife crime and homicide it is absolutely vital that we do something about it.”

One aspect of the greater stop and search powers now available to officers in Milton Keynes is Serious Violence Reduction Orders (SVROs).

SVROs allow the police to target offenders convicted of offences where a knife or offensive weapon was used by conducting additional stop and searches.

During a media briefing the Assistant Constable addressed concerns about the way stop and search powers are enacted in his policing area.

Recent data showed that minorities are disproportionately stopped by police officers and in the Thames Valley, black people are seven times more likely to be search in the area than white people.

Assistant Constable De Meyer added: “Our primary duty in the police is to protect life.

"And this is about protecting and saving lives above everything else.

"And my message to officers in Milton Keynes going out tonight, is that I want you to find a knife so that no one is killed by that knife on your watch.

"There has to be a very clear message from the police that regardless of who you are, where you live, what your racial or social background is, we are here for you.

"When we carrying out stop and search officers have got to be absolutely certain that they have the appropriate grounds.

"And they’ve got to make sure that they are carrying out that stop and search in a way that is respectful, and a way that is kind, and a way that is lawful.

“And that they take the time to explain to that person, that we are doing this because we are here for you and your community.

"And that proper records are kept and that people can make proper representations afterwards.

"And as the Police and Crime Commissioner says we have very robust scrutiny arrangements to look at disproportionality which includes bringing people in from the relevant communities, to show them the body-worn video evidence of those stop and searches.”

Part of the commissioner's existing budget and £150,000 of additional funding has been allocated to the scheme.