1,000 arrests for Operation Jemlock knife and violent crime crackdown

Operation Jemlock has seen officers make more than 1,000 arrests in just six months.

The operation began in April of this year, when a meeting led to a number of forces being handed funding to dedicate time to tackle these sorts of crimes.

Since then officers from West Yorkshire Police working on the initiative have made 1070 arrests, up until the end of August.

More than 15 per cent of these were for violent crime (190) with a further 85 for robbery and 147 for drug offences.

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There were also 72 public order arrests, as part of the overall figure.

Nearly 100 weapons have been removed from the streets since April, with 93 recovered from 1,005 stop-searches carried out.

The stop-search figure is almost 50 per cent more than what it was during the same time-scale last year.

Superintendent Damon Solley gives an update on Operation Jemlock.

More than 1650 intelligence submissions have also been made.

Compared to the same time period last year, there has been a 13 per cent drop in serious knife crime.

Superintendent Damon Solley said: "Operation Jemlock is helping to make a real difference in the communities we serve.

"Our officers are out there patrolling in all districts of West Yorkshire doing their very best to tackle violent crime and knife crime head-on.

"They are also acting as a deterrent to those considering committing crimes of violence and as a dedicated resource to concentrate on a crime type which blights communities and is devastating to victims and their families. 

"In just six months we have made over 1000 arrests and we recently put more resources into the operation.

"We aim to do all we possibly can to reduce the amount of violence and knife related offences on our streets.

"The results we have seen so far are encouraging but there is much more to do.

"Officers will continue their daily deployments and will work relentlessly towards further reductions."

Another update on the operation is expected in a few weeks' time.

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), said: "The 1000 arrests in 6 months as part of this targeted approach is a significant milestone and really demonstrates our commitment to tackling serious violence.

"This robust and intelligence led law enforcement operation is on-going and providing reassurance to those areas blighted by violent crime.

"To significantly reduce this type of behaviour in the long-term will require sustained resources and partnership working to intervene and prevent harm from happening in the first place.

"We are continuing to develop a violence reduction approach to address some of these longer term issues and pressing the Government to confirm dedicated funding.

"My thanks and appreciation to all the officers and staff involved for the very real difference they are making in our communities so far with this campaign."