TEST purchase operations in Bradford will form part of a week of action to raise awareness of knife crime.

The awareness week, which is part of a national week of action, will run from today until this Sunday.

It has been launched by West Yorkshire Police and is supported by the West Yorkshire Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC)

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In addition to the test purchase operations in Bradford, there will be knife sweeps of known ASB (anti-social behaviour) hotspots and talks in schools.

The force and PCC have previously spoken about tackling knife crime and the importance of talking to young people, in particular about the potential consequences of it and the dangers of carrying a knife.

Work to tackle knife crime is always ongoing and daily work is done throughout the communities of West Yorkshire, particularly in schools, to educate young people about the risks of carrying a knife.

The week of action is meant to support that ongoing work and help to spread the key message that carrying a knife is never the answer.

Assistant Chief Constable Catherine Hankinson of West Yorkshire Police, said: "We are very concerned about knife crime – it can cause great harm to the communities we serve and there is no place for it in our society.

“It is something we take extremely seriously. Every single person who works for this force has a part to play in preventing it from happening and dealing with it when it does.

“Like in other areas of the country, knife crime has increased in West Yorkshire but the most recent statistics show a slight fall (647 knife related offences in the three months up to December 2017, compared to 641 in the same period to December 2018).

“We are absolutely committed to tackling all knife crime.

"Initiatives like this week of action are very important for us to help to get the important message out there that carrying a knife is never the answer.

“No-one wants to see their loved ones caught up in the terrible consequences of knife crime.

“As an officer with many years’ experience, I have had to comfort the grieving families of victims and arrest those responsible for it. Knife crime has impacted terribly on them.”

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) said: "We all know the devastating consequences that can result from carrying or misusing knives.

“It is ultimately only through early intervention and prevention work that we will be able to most effectively deal with the scourge of knife and violent crime in our communities.

"This is why I wholeheartedly support this very timely week of action to raise awareness of the dangers."

During the week of action a range of educational and enforcement activity will be taking place.

In the run up to the week, cadet volunteers (aged under 18) supervised by officers are visiting shops which sell knives to see if they would sell them (selling knives to under 18s is illegal).

This work will also take place during the week of action and officers will follow this up with visits to any stores which fail, to educate them about their responsibilities under the law and warn them about their future conduct.