Six people have been arrested in connection with possession of offensive or bladed weapons in Suffolk.
The arrests took place as part of Operation Sceptre, a national week of action against knife crime held last week, which was supported by Suffolk Constabulary.
A 29-year-old man from Lowestoft was arrested on May 3 on suspicion of threatening a person in a public place with a bladed weapon. He has been released under investigation.
A 44-year-old man from Bungay was arrested on May 3 on suspicion of using threatening words/behaviour and possession of an offensive weapon. He was cautioned for the offence.
Roy Messenger, 51 of Eastward Place, Stowmarket was arrested on May 5 and charged with possession of an offensive weapon. He is due to appear before Ipswich Magistrates Court on May 22.
Harry Greensmith, 20, from Ipswich, was arrested on May 4 and charged with drugs offences and possession of an offensive weapon. He is due to appear at Ipswich Magistrates Court on June 5.
A 50-year-old woman from Beccles was arrested on May 7 on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly, assaulting a police officer and possession of a bladed weapon. She has been released under investigation.
Fred Elsom, 19, from Lowestoft, was arrested on and charged with assault, criminal damage and possession of a knife in a public place. He was arrested after officers responded to call on May 7 reporting an assault at an address in Lowestoft. He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court on June 6.
Superintendent Kerry Cutler, who was in charge of the operation, said: 'There is no excuse to carry a knife in Suffolk. Knife crime can have devastating consequences and if you are found illegally in possession of a knife you will be arrested, could be put before the court and brought to justice.
'Knives do not keep you safe – quite the opposite. By carrying a knife you are putting yourself in much greater danger, being more likely to become involved in a violent situation and get injured yourself. If you believe that somebody you know is carrying a knife, do the right thing and report it to us or Crimestoppers – it could save a life.'
Officers also carried out weapons sweeps in two public parks. Thirteen weapons, including an axe and a snooker cue were recovered from Jubilee Park in Ipswich. In Alderman Park, Ipswich, a combat knife was recovered along with 100 needles.
The crackdown also saw amnesty blade bins across Suffolk emptied, with 303 knives and bladed items in Ipswich, 39 items including a dagger in Lowestoft, 300 bladed items in Bury St Edmunds, 55 bladed items, including a knuckleduster weapon, in Sudbury and 239 bladed items in Mildenhall.
The bins were last emptied in October 2016, and since the Bin a Blade campaign was launched in Suffolk in 2011, well over 17,000 bladed items have been deposited and destroyed.
PCSOs also visited high schools in East Suffolk to engage with children, highlighting the dangers to young people of carrying knives. Leaflets and posters were distributed across communities, libraries and schools and police worked with Trading Standards to further educate shop owners about the importance of challenging underage customers and selling knives and bladed objects within the law.
Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said: 'We need to do all we can through education, peer pressure, policing and sentencing to make it absolutely clear that it's never acceptable for a person to carry a knife or weapon. I find it really disappointing that anyone carries a blade of any kind.
'The Bin a Blade campaign and the use of these bins is a great way of highlighting the issue of knife crime. I would encourage anyone who has a knife or any other weapon to dispose of them responsibly and immediately. Ultimately it is about making Suffolk as safe as possible.'
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