Knife Bin competition and amnesty

Knife bins across the county have received a new look following a competition which invited young people to design a positive anti-knife poster to help raise awareness of the dangers of carrying a knife.

Essex Police, the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex and the Ben Kinsella Trust teamed up for the competition and on Tuesday May 10th, PFCC Roger Hirst met one of the winners, Dexter, in Southend to see his poster on the knife bin.

Roger Hirst said: “We know that knife bins do a great job in taking thousands of knives off our Essex streets each year, but what is equally important is the role of education and information.

“Teaching our young people why you don’t need to carry a knife, why they should tell their friends not to carry a knife and why being knife free is the positive life choice to take.

“That’s why I’m delighted to be unveiling the new knife bins in Essex, the bins that young people themselves have designed. Young people who, like me, want their County to be a safe place to play, study, work and grow up in.”

Essex Police have also announced  a knife amnesty which will run until May 22nd. The amnesty allows for anyone who wants to dispose of bladed weapons to do so safely and without fear of prosecution. The priority is for as many knives as possible to be taken off the streets of Essex.

Find out more about the amnesty and rebranding Knife amnesty launched | Essex Police