Police station to host knife crime project

The ‘knife intervention project’ by Lincolnshire Police has been dubbed Think Sharp and aims to educate young people around the pressures, risks, consequences and impact of knife crime and offences involving weapons.

This is a brand new project being run by the force with nothing like it currently in the county, but data suggests that there is an increase in young people being referred to agencies regarding knife crime.

In a report to North Kesteven District Council’s executive board members, the district’s community safety manager Heidi Ryder, explained the force is funding converting some unused facilities at the Sleaford police station at The Hoplands.

She says: “It will allow this project to provide an area where workshops can show the custody processes, paramedic videos, and immersive details of real cases. There will be education around the pressures placed on young people around knife and weapon crime, victim awareness, the law and common myths, victim and suspect pathways in the criminal justice system and the consequences and impact of knife and weapon related offending.”

The facility will be available for all schools in the county to access under the Stay Safe schools programme. The young offending service will also have access to it to educate young people not necessarily in school.

Mrs Ryder explained the choice of location for the facility was due to its central position in the county for easy access, while having the space needed, adding: “It is a county wide programme, and in no way reflects any additional concern around knife and weapon crimes in this area.”

Councillors noted the update.