Early help officers talk to teens about the impact of knife crime

West Midlands Police's Early Help Officers have been talking to teenagers about the impact and dangers of knife crime in a new youth group set up in the Walsall area.

The East Locality Early Help family team has launched a group for boys aged between 13 and 16, every Thursday at its hub in Silver Court, Brownhills.

Each week, the team will discuss a different subject, with last week seeing Early Help Officer PC Zena Hands attending to give input into knife crime and the impact of consequences of carrying one.

PC Hands said: "It’s a great opportunity to be able to have an open and honest conversation with these young people around the laws of carrying knives, how it could impact their future if arrested and how much more likely there are to be injured themselves if they carry a knife."

During the sessions, there were also talks on how to use a bleed kit if required, utilising VR headsets in the sessions, which were also used to show how to make good choices around gang culture.

Zena is one of two Early Help Officers who play a key role in supporting schools and vulnerable young people and their families.

The new youth group comes following a recent push to reduce the number of knife-related incidents in the area's recent history, with the area even being visited by the Knife Angel in November and December 2023.