Police speak to students at Banbury school about knife crime and its impact as part of Operation Sceptre

Thames Valley Police officers spoke to students at North Oxfordshire Academy about knife crime and its impact as part of Operation Sceptre today, Wednesday May 18.

A police spokesperson said: “As our week of action continues officers have today attended the North Oxfordshire Academy, Drayton Road, Banbury in order to speak to the students of Year 9 and 10 about knife crime and the devastating impact it can have on a community.

“Students participated in a knife arch operation before attending an assembly with our schools officer PC Kelly. There was good engagement with the opportunity for them to ask us questions / raise any concerns they may have.

“A huge thank you to the staff for making this possible, and to the students for engaging so well with us.

“If you have concerns about anybody carrying a knife please report it. You could save a life.”

Operation Sceptre is a national week of action (from May 16-22) designed to challenge and reduce the threat of knife crime across the Thames Valley. The aims of the operation are to remove dangerous weapons from the streets, reduce knife crime and raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of carrying a knife.

Anyone with information about the possession of knives or criminal activity relating to this type of crime is asked to call police 101 or report it on the TVP website here: https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100 per cent anonymously on 0800 555 111.