Durham Police are launching a weeklong knife amnesty to encourage those with guns to anonymously hand them over.
Starting Monday, April 26, “ knife bins ” will be located at Police Stations in County Durham and Darlington, where people can lay down weapons, ornamental knives or blades.
The move is part of a nationwide campaign called “Operation Scepter,” which aims to reduce the number of blades that can be used for criminal purposes.
Although the amnesty is strictly anonymous, it is not a way to get rid of weapons used for criminal purposes, and any knife suspected of having been used illegally will be investigated.
The bins will be located at local police stations in Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Durham City and Peterlee, although the knives can be delivered to any post in the county.
Those who cannot make it to a station but still wish to deliver an item are encouraged to make alternate arrangements by contacting the police on 101.
Inspector Andy Boyd said: “Knife crime has the potential to devastate the lives of victims and their families, and although Durham and Darlington counties have the lowest level of knife crime in the country, we remain determined to protect our communities.
“Our goal is to tackle high-damage crimes by shining the spotlight on the dangers of knife crime and reducing their chances of happening.”