A WEAPON amnesty has been launched across Derby in a police bid to reduce the risk of items such as knives and BB guns falling into the wrong hands.
It has been organised by Derbyshire police and Derby City Council and will run throughout May. People can hand weapons in at police stations across the city.
The last time an amnesty was held in the city, in November 2011, 483 weapons were surrendered.
Chief Inspector Steve Pont said: "The aim of this amnesty is to make Derby a safer place by removing items such as knives, BB guns and knuckle-dusters that could fall into the wrong hands and be used in crime. Special bins will be at police stations during May and we are also sending a mobile police office into different communities for those who don't feel comfortable going to a station to hand over their weapons.
"In many cases, people who carry a weapon end up having it used against them.
"And, if you carry a weapon, you face a real possibility of going to prison even if you don't use it."
Weapons can be handed in at police stations in St Mary's Wharf, Cotton Lane, Pear Tree Road and Derby Market Place. The mobile police station will also accept weapons at Caxton Street between 3pm and 7pm on May 6 and 20; Asda Sinfin between 3pm and 7pm on May 7 and 21; Allenton shops between 3pm and 7pm on May 8 and 22, and Normanton Road between 3pm and 7pm on May 9 and 23.
Chief Inspector Pont said: "People may feel they need to carry a weapon as some kind of status symbol but those who do so often end up being injured themselves. The maximum sentence for having an offensive weapon is four years in prison. I would urge people to hand their weapons in to us, no questions asked."
Councillor Ranjit Banwait, chairman of the Ending Gang And Youth Violence Partnership for Derby City Council, said: "In 2009, I put a motion on weapon amnesties to the full council, which led to a successful operation which removed a large number of weapons from circulation.
"This latest amnesty gives members of the public the opportunity to hand in any unwanted items in their possession, which they might have for an innocent reason but which, when placed in the wrong hands, could be used to commit a crime or could put the owner in the unfortunate position of breaking the law.
"It could be their grandfather's old service revolver, an ornamental samurai sword or a BB gun which they bought on holiday."
