Sussex Alerts - Sussex Police - Sceptre week, knife crime devastates lives

Tuesday 19th May 2026

Sussex Alerts - Sussex Police

Sceptre week

Knife crime devastates lives

Not only does it affect the lives of a victim and their family but also their friends and communities. 

Sussex Police's lead for serious violence and knife crime, Chief Inspector Jim Loader, said: “We have worked hard to reduce knife crime across Sussex, with a reduction of 24% with last year. However we are not complacent.

“We are committed to doing all we can to stop weapons getting onto our streets or being used in our homes and to catch the criminals who use knives.”

Sceptre week highlights Sussex Police’s year-round work to reduce knife crime and serious violence in Sussex.

Chief Inspector Loader also said: “Our focus is on education, with officers spending time in schools talking to children as well as on the streets talking to wider public about the facts. 

“We know some young people carry knives because they think they need to keep themselves safe. 

“The vast majority of children don't carry a knife. It’s not common place, not everyone is carrying and you don't need to carry one to keep yourself safe.

“Statistics show that when you carry a knife you are more likely to get hurt yourself as well as put others in danger.”

“Sussex Police supports the Ben Kinsella foundation pledge to commit to keeping young people safe and ensuring ‘change can happen’.

“We will fulfil this pledge through education to prevent knives being carried as well as robust action on knife crime offenders in our county.”

As well as education, there will also be a variety of operational activity running during Sceptre week including weapons sweeps, test purchasing, targeted patrols, leading to use of stop search and grounds for arrest, VR headsets, Live Facial Recognition deployments and surrender bins to remove knives from the streets.  

In addition to operational policing plans, a new communications campaign is being launched urging young people to think before they carry a knife.

Chief Inspector Loader added: “One choice. Two Futures. #KnivesCostLives, is a campaign to encourage children and young people to think about their future before they carry a knife.

“With information for children, parents and educators, you can follow the links and find more information about how you can anonymously report concerns.”

Sussex has recently been awarded nearly £600k from the Home Office’s Knife Crime Concentration Fund for the next year.

This funding is to specifically target and reduce knife crime in four hotspot areas: two areas in Brighton, one in Crawley and one in Eastbourne.

The funding will be put towards bespoke problem-orientated interventions relevant to the underlying causes of knife crime.

Targeted action over the next year may include increased patrols, CCTV cameras and Live Facial Recognition deployment, depending on the needs within the area.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “Carrying a knife is more likely to get you into trouble than out of it.

“If you get caught you can go to jail. If you use one – even in self-defence – the outcome is too often devastating.

“It’s quite simple really: lose the knife not your life.”

If you have concerns about someone carrying a knife, report it either to Sussex Police online or via 101 or through Fearless.

One knife on our streets is one too many and through our actions, together we can reduce knife crime and help keep communities in Sussex safe and feel safe.

Contact us

For non-emergency incidents or crime prevention advice, click www.sussex.police.uk (If you report a crime online, we will assess it in the same way as a 101 call).  

Call 101 when you do not require an urgent response. In an emergency when life is threatened or there is immediate danger always call 999.  

Speak to us face-to-face at a police station or contact the local policing team at www.sussex.police.uk/area/your-area.  

Accessibility contact

How to contact us if you have a hearing or a speech impairment, or any other form of communication difficulties.

Those with textphone can text 18001 101, or BSL users can use SignVideo to provide a Video Relay Service (here: https://signvideo.co.uk/), to report crime through a live online interpreter, who will contact the police on your behalf, when you do not require an urgent response.

In an emergency when life is threatened or there is immediate danger please use the textphone service 18000 or text us on 999.

BSL users can call 999 BSL (here: https://999bsl.co.uk/)  to use a British Sign Language interpreter.

For more information on textphone and Relay UK, including help setting up the Relay APP please visit: https://www.relayuk.bt.com/how-to-use-relay-uk/contact-999-using-relay-uk.html