WMP are supporting a Home Office weapons surrender scheme which allows people to hand over weapons that will become illegal next year.
It starts today, (Thursday 10 December) and will run for three months.
The government has added 22 knives and a number of previously legally owned firearms and ancillary items to the list of banned weapons.
The scheme will allow people who may have owned firearms or bladed weapons legally, to identify if they need to be handed in. You can also claim compensation for giving them up.
It’s all in a bid to help save lives by reducing the number of potentially dangerous weapons from getting into the wrong hands and being used in acts of violence.
As part of our ongoing commitment to reducing violent crime and it’s devastating impact, police are asking you to take a look at website to see if something you own is now on the banned list.
Information about which weapons will become illegal is on our website here: https://west-midlands.police.uk/your-options/home-office-weapons-surren…
You may also be eligible for compensation if you surrender a weapon. It’s simple to do, you just complete the form from our website and bring it with the packaged weapon.
Instructions on how weapons should be safely packaged are also on the website. If you are not able to print a form in advance, they will be available for you to complete at a police station.
When you bring your weapon in, police will assess whether it is eligible for compensation. The levels of compensation are set out on the form and the application will be submitted to the Home Office. They decide how much you will be awarded.
Weapons that are not listed for compensation can also be surrendered at this time, as Police are keen to rid our streets of dangerous weapons.
To reduce risks around Covid-19, therefore only two police stations in the West Midlands will be receiving surrendered weapons at our front desks during designated times. This it to help keep us all safe.
The stations and times are:
West Bromwich Police Station, Moor Street, B70 7AQ
Weapon surrender times: Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 4pm – 8pm
Saturdays and Sundays 10am – 6pm
Coventry Police Station, Little Park Street, CV1 2JX
Weapon surrender times: Sundays from 10am – 6pm
Inspector Balraj Sohal, from our dedicated violence reduction Project Guardian team, said: “This is a great opportunity to safely surrender weapons you may have previously legally owned.
“We’re committed to reducing the number of potentially harmful weapons on our streets. Too often we see the devastating impact that knife and gun crime has within our communities.
“I’m sure many of you are thinking that surely all weapons are illegal? However a number are; or in the case of firearms, could previously be held with the correct licences and paperwork. This is changing in line with new legislation expected next year.
“While we understand the frustrations and concerns some people – who hold such items for legitimate reasons – may have, I’d urge you to take a look at the new guidelines so you can ensure you won’t be in possession of anything on the new list.
“It’s also timely to remind parents to check their kitchen drawers and knife blocks to make sure they are all accounted for. We know many of the young people we stop, who are in possession of knives , have taken them from there.
“I’d urge you to do your part in keeping the West Midlands safe and visit our website to find out more.”
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson said: “This surrender is a good opportunity for people to dispose of items which could have been used to destroy lives.
“A range of new weapons which have recently become illegal can be handed in, with compensation available from the Home Office in some cases.
“On the list of new weapons which we are calling on people to hand in is ‘zombie knives’ which I successfully campaigned to be banned from sale. I am pleased that these, and other dangerous weapons are now illegal to own.
“But the message remains the same, owning and carrying illegal weapons is not a way of keeping yourself safe. It is more likely to end up causing you more harm.
“Our surrender bins, located across the region can also be used to deposit weapons. Through these community bins we have taken thousands of weapons off the streets.
“This surrender will help to remove more weapons from the public domain and keep our communities safe.”
We’re doing all we can to tackle violence in our communities. We’ve set up a dedicated website which contains information for young people, parents and teachers on how address concerns about knife crime. This includes honest and candid interviews from people affected by knife and gang crime and can be found here: https://lifeorknife.west-midlands.police.uk/