Police in knife crime hot-spots are to get powers that ministers say will reduce red tape when stopping people for informal questioning on the street.
Officers in 10 areas, including London, Manchester and Merseyside, will no longer have to fill out lengthy forms.
A second scheme to reduce forms needed to record actual crimes is also being introduced, says the Home Office.
Special forms for "stop and account" were introduced to combat racism, but police say they are bureaucratic.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the new stop-and-account measures would be introduced to the 10 "Tackling Knives Action Programme" areas from the end of October.
Officers will radio in the subject's ethnicity and hand over a card explaining how they should complain if they feel unfairly treated. The new measures will be rolled out nationally from next year.
Ms Smith said: "Giving police the means to dramatically reduce form-filling bureaucracy in these 10 priority areas will free up valuable officer time to further clamp down on knife crime.
"The recent Policing Green Paper set out radical plans to cut red tape to allow police to focus on the most serious crime and on local issues."
Police in the knife crime hot-spots have been given portable search arches and have increased street stops to identify people carrying blades.
In London, 77,000 searches since May have led to 3,300 arrests and the seizure of 2,200 knives.
Thursday 18 September 2008
Victim 'gentle, loving and kind'
The mother of a teenager stabbed to death outside a bar in south London says she forgives his killers and takes strength in her Christian faith.
Oliver Kingonzila, 19, died after being found with stab wounds outside the E Bar in Croydon on Saturday. Two men, both aged 18, have been arrested.
Today, his mother described Oliver as "the gentle one, very loving, very kind. He will be there to help you".
"I don't have room for bitterness because bitterness cannot take me to heaven," Mrs Kingonzila said. "Oliver is with Jesus, he was baptized and he is in heaven."
Oliver's father, Kimbeni Kingonzila echoed his wife's strength in her faith.
"We believe in Jesus," he said.
"By my own strength I cannot (forgive) because it is my baby. The spirit of God has told me to that I must forgive, so I forgive. These boys need Jesus."
Elodia Kingonzila, the victim's 22-year-old sister, said the knife crime in her south London community is now out of control.
"You cannot go out anymore, you are not safe. You could be sitting on the bus, somebody comes and starts an argument for a stupid reason - knife," she said before warning young people to stay away from nightclubs.
"Stay at home, clubbing is not a life, there's always knives everywhere you go these days."
Miss Kingonzila described her young brother as a joker who loved to laugh with his family and preen in front of the mirror before an evening out with friends.
"Ollie was a very outgoing person, he was always laughing," she said.
Oliver Kingonzila, 19, died after being found with stab wounds outside the E Bar in Croydon on Saturday. Two men, both aged 18, have been arrested.
Today, his mother described Oliver as "the gentle one, very loving, very kind. He will be there to help you".
"I don't have room for bitterness because bitterness cannot take me to heaven," Mrs Kingonzila said. "Oliver is with Jesus, he was baptized and he is in heaven."
Oliver's father, Kimbeni Kingonzila echoed his wife's strength in her faith.
"We believe in Jesus," he said.
"By my own strength I cannot (forgive) because it is my baby. The spirit of God has told me to that I must forgive, so I forgive. These boys need Jesus."
Elodia Kingonzila, the victim's 22-year-old sister, said the knife crime in her south London community is now out of control.
"You cannot go out anymore, you are not safe. You could be sitting on the bus, somebody comes and starts an argument for a stupid reason - knife," she said before warning young people to stay away from nightclubs.
"Stay at home, clubbing is not a life, there's always knives everywhere you go these days."
Miss Kingonzila described her young brother as a joker who loved to laugh with his family and preen in front of the mirror before an evening out with friends.
"Ollie was a very outgoing person, he was always laughing," she said.
Youths come up with knife amnesty
Young people have joined forces with police in a bid to crack down on knife crime on Teesside.
Cleveland Police force has set up a knife amnesty, after the move was suggested by the Stockton Youth Independent Advisory Group.
Chief Constable Sean Price said: "While we haven't yet seen the knife carrying culture here that exists in some other parts of the country, we aren't being complacent.
"Carrying a knife isn't cool. It's illegal and people found carrying knives will be prosecuted.
"People don't realise sometimes just how dangerous a knife can be. They can cause serious and even fatal injuries.
"We want to make the streets of Cleveland safer by removing as many as we can."
Cleveland Police force has set up a knife amnesty, after the move was suggested by the Stockton Youth Independent Advisory Group.
Chief Constable Sean Price said: "While we haven't yet seen the knife carrying culture here that exists in some other parts of the country, we aren't being complacent.
"Carrying a knife isn't cool. It's illegal and people found carrying knives will be prosecuted.
"People don't realise sometimes just how dangerous a knife can be. They can cause serious and even fatal injuries.
"We want to make the streets of Cleveland safer by removing as many as we can."
Anti-knife ad campaign launched
A campaign to tackle knife crime among London teenagers has been launched by the Metropolitan Police (Met).
The television, radio and poster adverts are part of Operation Blunt 2, which was launched in May to tackle the problem of youths carrying weapons.
Commander Simmons, head of Operation Blunt 2, said since May more than 1,900 knives have been seized through the use of search powers, intelligence from the community, and pro-active policing.
"This ad campaign is stark in its sombre message to young people about the consequences of carrying a knife," he said.
"Carrying and using a knife has dire consequences - both for the victim and their family and also you and your friends and family.
'If you carry a knife, you will be arrested and you will be charged and appear before the courts.
Knife crime will remain a priority for the Met, he said.
The television, radio and poster adverts are part of Operation Blunt 2, which was launched in May to tackle the problem of youths carrying weapons.
Commander Simmons, head of Operation Blunt 2, said since May more than 1,900 knives have been seized through the use of search powers, intelligence from the community, and pro-active policing.
"This ad campaign is stark in its sombre message to young people about the consequences of carrying a knife," he said.
"Carrying and using a knife has dire consequences - both for the victim and their family and also you and your friends and family.
'If you carry a knife, you will be arrested and you will be charged and appear before the courts.
Knife crime will remain a priority for the Met, he said.
Met's knife crime policy attacked
The Metropolitan Police has been criticised for its use of stop and search in tackling knife crime.
Laura Richards, former head of the Met's homicide prevention unit, told the BBC stop and search could make gangs stronger and the problem worse.
The Met defended its tactics, saying it had community support.
Last month the Met set up a special taskforce in London using stop and search, sending teams of officers into stabbing hotspots.
Ms Richards, a criminal behavioural psychologist, told BBC Radio 4's The Investigation using stop and search was a sticking plaster, and that it could push marginalised young men further into gang membership.
"We're seeing a number of guys committing the murders are already marginalised, already excluded and we are trying those kind of tactics on those individuals. I fear we just make the problem worse."
Ms Richards ran the homicide prevention unit for four years. The unit, which was formed in 2003, split knife murders into two categories - domestic and street attacks.
Domestic knife killers tended to be older and white, while those who committed street attacks were aged under 20 and disproportionately black.
Domestic killings have fallen dramatically in recent years, but street murders have been rising.
A four-year study by Ms Richards' unit had found almost 90% of knife killers had previously been known to police.
"Not only did we flag up problems, we flagged up solutions," she said.
The unit proposed a multi-agency approach targeted at offenders who ran the risk of escalating violent behaviour.
"You don't just wake up one morning and kill somebody," Ms Richards said.
However, the government has dismissed claims stop and search has made knife crime worse. Home Office minister Tony McNulty told the BBC there was much more to the policy.
"[We are] working with schools, education, trying to tackle that sort of cultural 'it's cool to carry a knife' type dimension," he said.
The policy has been more targeted and intelligence-led since June. About 1500 arrests have been made using Section 60 and other powers, he said.
Stop and search is part of a deterrence and awareness campaign, he added.
Keith Jarratt, a serving sergeant and a former president of the National Black Police Association, agreed stop and search was a good deterrent but just part of a strategy.
"If someone knows that they're likely to be stopped and searched, who is not a hardened criminal, they will stop carrying weapons, " he said.
Rose Fitzpatrick, deputy assistant commissioner at the Met, said stop and search was the right tactic.
"Stop and search is part of what we're doing but we're also sending a very visible message to young people that our aim is to keep them safe," she said.
Laura Richards, former head of the Met's homicide prevention unit, told the BBC stop and search could make gangs stronger and the problem worse.
The Met defended its tactics, saying it had community support.
Last month the Met set up a special taskforce in London using stop and search, sending teams of officers into stabbing hotspots.
Ms Richards, a criminal behavioural psychologist, told BBC Radio 4's The Investigation using stop and search was a sticking plaster, and that it could push marginalised young men further into gang membership.
"We're seeing a number of guys committing the murders are already marginalised, already excluded and we are trying those kind of tactics on those individuals. I fear we just make the problem worse."
Ms Richards ran the homicide prevention unit for four years. The unit, which was formed in 2003, split knife murders into two categories - domestic and street attacks.
Domestic knife killers tended to be older and white, while those who committed street attacks were aged under 20 and disproportionately black.
Domestic killings have fallen dramatically in recent years, but street murders have been rising.
A four-year study by Ms Richards' unit had found almost 90% of knife killers had previously been known to police.
"Not only did we flag up problems, we flagged up solutions," she said.
The unit proposed a multi-agency approach targeted at offenders who ran the risk of escalating violent behaviour.
"You don't just wake up one morning and kill somebody," Ms Richards said.
However, the government has dismissed claims stop and search has made knife crime worse. Home Office minister Tony McNulty told the BBC there was much more to the policy.
"[We are] working with schools, education, trying to tackle that sort of cultural 'it's cool to carry a knife' type dimension," he said.
The policy has been more targeted and intelligence-led since June. About 1500 arrests have been made using Section 60 and other powers, he said.
Stop and search is part of a deterrence and awareness campaign, he added.
Keith Jarratt, a serving sergeant and a former president of the National Black Police Association, agreed stop and search was a good deterrent but just part of a strategy.
"If someone knows that they're likely to be stopped and searched, who is not a hardened criminal, they will stop carrying weapons, " he said.
Rose Fitzpatrick, deputy assistant commissioner at the Met, said stop and search was the right tactic.
"Stop and search is part of what we're doing but we're also sending a very visible message to young people that our aim is to keep them safe," she said.
Anti-knife fight goes to New York
Brooke Kensella plans to travel to New York as part of her campaign to tackle knife crime following ben Kensella's death on 29th June.
Speaking to the BBC, former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella said she wanted to see how the city reduced crime levels with its zero tolerance policy.
Ms Kinsella stressed there was no "quick fix" to the problem.
LEARN LESSONS:
Ms Kinsella said she had met with politicians, police, families of victims and schools since her brother's death, in an attempt to find solutions to knife crime.
"New York had a massive crime level but they have managed to reduce it with their zero tolerance policy, so I want to go out there and speak to people who started this policy.
"I think if we can take some lessons from them and learn how they did it maybe we could help our country in the same way."
Ms Kinsella said her family was still trying to cope with Ben's death.
Ben Kinsella was fatally stabbed during a night out with friends
"It's still a bit surreal, I think we are on a kind of autopilot... it's just survival instinct at the moment.
"We've lost seven more kids, after Ben and, you know, we're just, we're not naive enough to think that we can't stop anybody else dying, but we want to try and, we don't want any other family to go through this.
"The people of our country want to make a difference now and, there's enough of us that are ready to stand up and make a change.
"We can't just fix this with a quick fix - four years in prison. You need to start trying to prevent it from an early age."
Juries Kika and Michael Allende, both 18, and Jade Braithwaite, 19, have been charged with Ben's murder.
Speaking to the BBC, former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella said she wanted to see how the city reduced crime levels with its zero tolerance policy.
Ms Kinsella stressed there was no "quick fix" to the problem.
LEARN LESSONS:
Ms Kinsella said she had met with politicians, police, families of victims and schools since her brother's death, in an attempt to find solutions to knife crime.
"New York had a massive crime level but they have managed to reduce it with their zero tolerance policy, so I want to go out there and speak to people who started this policy.
"I think if we can take some lessons from them and learn how they did it maybe we could help our country in the same way."
Ms Kinsella said her family was still trying to cope with Ben's death.
Ben Kinsella was fatally stabbed during a night out with friends
"It's still a bit surreal, I think we are on a kind of autopilot... it's just survival instinct at the moment.
"We've lost seven more kids, after Ben and, you know, we're just, we're not naive enough to think that we can't stop anybody else dying, but we want to try and, we don't want any other family to go through this.
"The people of our country want to make a difference now and, there's enough of us that are ready to stand up and make a change.
"We can't just fix this with a quick fix - four years in prison. You need to start trying to prevent it from an early age."
Juries Kika and Michael Allende, both 18, and Jade Braithwaite, 19, have been charged with Ben's murder.
Murdered youth stabbed in chest
An 18-year-old man who died in a knife attack in Walthamstow, east London, suffered stab wounds to the chest, a post-mortem examination has found.
Police found Charles Junior Hendricks lying wounded near Selborne Road in the early hours of Sunday.
A 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old youth were arrested over the murder, near a grassy area off Selborne Road on Sunday where the killing took place.
The younger of the two had a minor slash wound to the arm and was treated in hospital, police said. The man has been released on bail.
Police found Charles Junior Hendricks lying wounded near Selborne Road in the early hours of Sunday.
A 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old youth were arrested over the murder, near a grassy area off Selborne Road on Sunday where the killing took place.
The younger of the two had a minor slash wound to the arm and was treated in hospital, police said. The man has been released on bail.
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