This week is ‘Operation Sceptre’, a nationwide week to highlight the work being done throughout the police force and communities, to prevent knife crime.

There are a number of targeted operations going on around the district to engage and educate young people, reassuring them that they are safer not carrying knives, and ultimately that #knivestakelives. The campaign also features posters and adverts throughout Yorkshire, highlighting the importance of the scheme. There has been a greater police presence in and around Kirklees, as West Yorkshire Police have been visiting local schools and colleges, engaging with the community and raising awareness about knife crime and how to keep people safe.

To support Operation Sceptre, we thought it was important to share the research of Leisa, one of our valuable members of the team. Leisa is a forensic scientist, who works with us in her spare time, bringing her expertise & knowledge to you, the general public.

Leisa has been researching knife crime as part of a Winston Churchill Fellowship. The journal has been published, and analyses the damage caused, mainly focussing on domestic knives as these have been identified as forming a large percentage of the weapons used in stabbings, in which it analysed the damage caused by comparing the above rounded edged knives with other standard kitchen knives.

To see the full journal and all it’s research, you can do so here.

Following Leisa’s’ research, we conducted our own research to test the Assure Domestic Kitchen Knife range, designed to prevent stabbing injuries and reduce the chance of accidental household/kitchen injuries. We would highly recommend these as a kitchen staple, for safety, performance, looks and cost. You can find out more about the Assure Safety range here.

**Please note, these knives were not gifted by Viners, and this is an independent review of our experience using these.

This image was posted by South Yorkshire Police, showing the powerful statement on Parkway, Sheffield.