Knife Angel Legacy Continues...New Knife Arches & Wands to help keep Gloucester City Safe

Two mobile knife detectors have been deployed to keep knives off the streets of Gloucester, as part of the new #NOTINOURCITY campaign, headed up by City Safe.

The systems have popped up and are now being used at locations across Gloucester City. As well as having the usual ‘Street Safe’ police uniformed officers in the city, plain-clothes PCs will position themselves nearby to spot anyone who suddenly makes a diversion when they see the detector. The individuals would then either be stopped or tracked using the partnerships CCTV system and apprehended.

Steve Lindsay, Gloucester City Safe Manager said “City Safe work in partnership with Gloucester BID, Police, City Council and the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner, following the success of the Knife Angel, which came to the city in February this year and attracted over 130,000 visitors and received 100 bladed articles amnestied. It was clear we needed to continue this legacy and ensure visitors into our city feels safe in the night-time economy”.

Justin Hudson, Gloucester LVA and NTE venue owner said “Working with the OPCC, Gloucester City Safe and Gloucestershire Police; the #NotInOurCity campaign has been rolled out across the city. This will see almost every mainline venue within the city use deterrents such as walk through state of the art knife arches, right down to wands to wave over people as they enter licensed premises. We firmly believe the partnership working we have within the city of Gloucester is what sets us way ahead of any curve. This forward-thinking measure will ensure venues and the police continue to share intelligence as well as work in unison against any adverse ideal that anyone carrying a knife or bladed weapon will be identified and reported. The ultimate aim of this project is to find ZERO knives; bladed weapons, and the message to go our far and wide, that anyone who thinks it is ‘ok’ to carry will avoid Gloucester city.”

Chief Superintendent Jane Probert, from Gloucestershire Constabulary, said: “Gloucestershire Constabulary is pleased to support the anti-knife campaign ‘Not In Our City’, which aims to keep people using our pubs and clubs safe from knife crime.

“Thousands of people came to see the Knife Angel when it was in Gloucester, and we have always said that it was important to build on that legacy.

“The support of City Safe in buying the knife arches, alongside the ongoing work of Gloucester Licensed Vintners Association, city councillors and local premises, helps us to make our city a safer place.

“I’m delighted that all the venues contacted by our licensing team have agreed to take part in the scheme.”

Gloucester already has some fantastic safety schemes in place within the night-time economy, with our Night Safe Officers, who patrol from 10pm to 5am, our Street Medics and not forgetting our unsung heroes, our fantastic volunteer Street Pastors.

Gloucester is also a Purple Flag accredited city, an international accreditation programme that aims to reward those who achieve this in their destinations after dark.  Purple Flag strives to help create safe and thriving locations at night for all users.