imported post
You might find this intresting.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2019450/Knife-crime-powers-'may-antagonise-youth'.html
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Knife crime powers 'may antagonise youth'
By Vikki Miller Last updated: 9:37 AM BST 24/05/2008
New police powers to combat knife crime could cause increased antagonism amongst young people, the Children's Commissioner for England has warned.
Police officers can now search people for knives and guns
without reasonable suspicion they may be carrying a weapon.
Sir Al Aynsley-Green called for further research into the effect of the increased powers.
He told the BBC: "There is a balance here. On the one hand for young people to feel safer by having the presence of the police - but on the other hand making sure the new powers don't create further antagonism by increased stopping and searching.
"These are very contentious and I certainly support the case for much more research on the effects of these policies on them."
Sir Al added that young people should be seen as part of the solution, not the problem.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Rose Fitzpatrick said officers' work was not aimed at victimising people, but keeping them safe.
She said: "The work we are doing in London in particular is working alongside communities to do robust stop-and-search operations using knife arches and search wands where intelligence tells us that there is the most likelihood that people are carrying knives and weapons."
The move comes following a rise in knife crime in the capital.
The first team of 15 police officers has already been posted in an unnamed London borough.
They have been carrying out spot checks on teenagers suspected of carrying knives in 10 of the worst-affected boroughs, using 550 metal detecting "wands" and 244 detection "arches" outside schools, shopping centres and bus stations.
The operation, named Blunt 2, was launched in response to the deaths of Jimmy Mizen; 22-year-old rape suspect Steven Bigby, stabbed in Oxford Street earlier this month; and 15-year-old Lyle Tullock, stabbed near his Peckham home three weeks ago.
A further five to 10 teams will target areas where intelligence suggests youths are most likely to carry weapons in the next 10 days.
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I see they are contenuing with the weapon paranoia in the uk.
what a bunch of morons.