New knife bins have been installed outside supermarkets in Lichfield and Burntwood in a bid to get blades off the street.
The secure collection points have been put in car parks at local Morrisons stores as part of a national youth anti-violence campaign.
Once they are deposited in the bins, knives are secured inside until they are removed by police officers.
Lichfield District Council’s principal community safety officer, Yvonne James, said:
“I am delighted that Morrisons is working with us and hosting knife bins on its premises in Burntwood and Lichfield.
“Although Burntwood and Lichfield are areas with low rates of reported knife crime and violence in the county, the knife bins are part of a multi-agency campaign to educate young people and help prevention.
“The bins are encouraging people to relinquish blades while we raise awareness of the damage that they can do.”
Yvonne James
Funding for the knife bins has come from the Locality Deal Fund, provided by Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams, which Lichfield District Community Safety Partnership has allocated to the initiative.
Lichfield District Council’s cabinet member for community engagement, Cllr Richard Cox, said:
“It is vitally important that we do everything we can to alert people to the dangers of carrying a knife, of how the violent use of a blade can ruin lives.
“The knife bins provide a place where blades can be given up safely and securely. I am hoping people will deposit knives in them and help in our collective effort to keep our communities safe from knife crime.”
Cllr Richard Cox
