The Metropolitan (Met) Police Service has begun piloting new legislation that will help to intervene and prevent knife-enabled violence in London.
A Knife Crime Prevention Order (KCPO) is a new civil order that may be imposed on any person aged 12 or over who is known to be regularly carrying a knife or sentenced upon conviction of a knife-related offense.
KCPOs are intended to be preventative rather than punitive and will enable the police and partner agencies to intervene and prevent knife-enabled violence. KCPOs will help to identify and divert vulnerable people at risk of becoming serious criminals and away from being further drawn into violence. Additionally, they aim to make communities safer.
Those under an order can be prevented from associating with certain people, restricted from specific geographical areas and can be set curfews.
They will also include positive requirements such as attendance at educational courses, life skills programs, participation in group sports, drug rehabilitation and anger management classes.
The Met, who were instrumental in the development of the legislation, will pilot KCPOs for 14 months. The impact of KCPOs will be continuously assessed through a rigorous evaluation process, supported by the University of Cambridge and University College London. The ambition is to introduce the orders across all police forces in the U.K., subject to the results of the pilot.
T/Commander Ade Adelekan from the Metropolitan Police Service said Knife Crime Prevention Orders will allow police more options and will be a valuable tactic in preventing and tackling violence in London.
“They will allow intervention at an early stage and divert vulnerable people at risk of becoming serious criminals by supporting them to make better lifestyle changes away from violence. Also, they will enable police to monitor the individual and enforce the law on them if they breach it. Both outcomes helping to keep our communities safe. Tackling violence remains a priority for the Met to which our officers will continue to exploiting all preventative and enforcement tactics and powers.”
Tom Gaymor, an ambassador for DIVERT, a custody program designed to divert 18-25-year-olds away from offending and into employment, development and education, said: “KCPOs will hopefully prove to be an invaluable tool when it comes to early intervention and protecting young people from serious violence. Unlike previous orders KCPOs do not need a previous conviction to be imposed and can also be used before young people develop gang affiliations.
“The emphasis is on diversion and development and not punishment, and with that hope and opportunity is not burdened by a criminal record. KCPOs also allow the police to safeguard those at risk of offending, and those at risk of becoming victims of serious violence themselves.
“Hopefully KCPOs can help save lives and make communities safer. This is a child-focused approach which I hope will reduce violent knife-enabled crime and create a safer society for young people to grow up in.”
Read more at the Metropolitan Police
