The Met joined police forces across the country in Operation Sceptre, designed to ramp up activity to suppress knife crime and wider violence.
A vast range of activity was carried out by officers across the Met, including targeted patrols in violence hotspots; warrants to target high harm offenders; and weapons sweeps in areas known for stashed weapons.
Officers also worked closely with British Transport Police during knife arch deployments at transport hubs, aimed at deterring people from carrying weapons and drugs on the train and tube network. Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology was also used by Met and City of London officers, targeting those carrying and supplying drugs on the roads in and out of London.
Crucially, there was also a focus on education, diversion and prevention, with officers engaging with 10,563 young people; community members and business owners.
In one instance, officers from the north-west Violence and Gang Coordination Hub, alongside a mother who lost her son to knife crime and an ex-offender, engaged with a Pupil Referral Unit to warn students of the consequences of carrying a knife.
Following the talks, several young people asked the officers to make referrals on their behalf to external agencies for support in sports activities and apprenticeships.
While conducting community weapons sweeps, local officers worked side-by-side with community members, listening to their concerns and searching for hidden or discarded weapons. Officers, Met Special Constables and Volunteer Police Cadets also carried out 290 retailer visits to educate businesses and ensure they were not – and do not in the future – selling knives irresponsibly.
Superintendent Jim Corbett, who led Op Sceptre for the Met, said: “Knife crime completely destroys victims, families and communities, which is why tackling it is our top priority.
“Operation Sceptre is an intensification of the work we already do relentlessly every single day, and officers will continue doing everything they can to target those intent on committing violent crime on our streets, to make London safer.
“Suppressing violence needs a holistic approach to deliver long-lasting solutions. I am grateful to all those partners and community members who worked alongside us and joined our efforts. We must all work together – the responsibility lies with us all to create safe communities.”
