More stop and searches to stop knife crime (From Your Local Guardian)

More stop and searches to stop knife crime

5:31pm Tuesday 13th May 2008 in

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Police officers in London will increase their stop and search powers to target the growing spate of knife crime in the capital.

At a briefing at New Scotland Yard this afternoon, Assistant Commissioner Tim Godwin and Deputy Assistant Commissioner Rose Fitzpatrick gave details about the Met's plans to combat youth violence and knife crime in particular.

Operation Blunt 2 is a continuation of the Met's London-wide anti-knife crime initiative and includes a range of policing activity to tackle the violence associated with young people carrying knives.

Under the initiatives officers will make use of searches under section 60 of the public order act which allows police to search people without reasonable suspicion.

Mr Godwin said "officers would use the powers sensitively and appropriately".

"It is time to say enough is enough," he added.