Police take fight against knife crime to Mansfield McDonald's

Police set up a mobile knife arch at the entrance of McDonald’s on West Gate in the town centre this week in a bid to reassure people about the work going on to tackle knife crime.

Sergeant Paul Peatfield, of Nottinghamshire Police's Mansfield town centre neighbourhood policing team, led Wednesday’s scheme, part of the force-wide Operation Scorpion to tackle knife crime.

He said: “The knife arch is a tool we can use to prevent crime and deter crime.”

Customers were invited to pass through the arch – which can detect weapons on a person – in a bid to “show their support” for the scheme.

Sgt Peatfield said: “In the daytime, we tend to run it to show the community what we have got - it’s a community engagement operation.

“We approached McDonald’s, because it's got a high footfall.

“We ask people to show their support by using it. We ask them if they’re prepared to use it – they don’t have to.

“There’s no particular issue at McDonald’s. We just like to be visible and show the public one of the tools we have to prevent knife crime.

“We’re finding it works really well in preventing any crime or issues.”

However, he said the team also run it at night-times, often setting up at the entrance to bars and clubs.

He said: “What we do is try to get a buy-in from local licencees and late-night refereshment venues – we get a lot of support from people and businesses.

“In the night-time, some venues will use it as a condition of entry.

“People will be asked to walk through it to enter and if they don’t, staff can refuse entry.”

And he said, as well as tackling weapon-enabled crime, it also “assists in preventing other issues like anti-social behaviour and violence”.

He said: “Our feedback is its a very effective deterrent.

“We get so much feedback about how people feel safer when they see it running.”

The operation came as the latest crime figures show a 7 per cent rise in knife crime across the country and 16 per cent across the East Midlands – although Nottinghamshire Police recorded a 7.6 per cent drop year on year.

An Office for National Statistics spokesman said: “Figures for the year ending September 2019 showed a 7 per cent rise in offences involving knives or sharp instruments recorded by the police, to 44,771 offences.

“This is 46 per cent higher than when comparable recording began, in the year ending March 2011, and the highest on record.”

Sgt Peatfield was keen to reassure people that Mansfield does not have a big knife problem – and the arch was one tool to make sure it stays that way.

He said: “Mansfield has got a very low level knife issue and we are aiming to keep it that way, and reduce it even further.

“While we do have a very low level problem, there are some individuals that carry them.

“However, we’re very fortunate we have very few issues and that's why we keep running it.

“In Mansfield, we are doing well in the fight against knife crime – and we run this operation to keep it that way.”

Jacqueline Moore, franchisee for the McDonald’s outlet, as well as branches in Sutton, Alfreton and South Normanton, welcomed the initiative.

She said: “We work with the police on lots of different campaigns and initiatives.

“This one is helping make sure people aren't carrying knifes when they visit Mansfield town centre.

“We want it to be a safe place if you work in town, come down to enjoy the night, or are just shopping and we are working with police to make sure we keep it that way.

“Mansfield has a very low knife crime record and we want to keep it that way.”

Speaking after the operation, which also involved running the knife arch at Mansfield bus station for a period of time, concluded, Sgt Peatfield said: “I am very pleased to report that no Individuals were found to be in possession of any offensive weapons.

“While running the operation, however, officers had cause to stop a 33-year-old man wanted by police for the offence of threats to kill.

“He was consequently arrested and an investigation is currently ongoing.

“The operation also received lots of positive feedback from members of the public commenting on the knife arch initiative and how it makes people feel safe in Mansfield town centre.”