On a daily basis, these officers come into contact with drug hauls, stolen items, and disqualified drivers.
The removal of weapons from the streets remains a top priority for a team that was directly responsible for the seizure of 79 blades and offensive weapons last year.
However, proactive patrols led by intelligence on potential knife-carriers frequently result in the team of seven uncovering other offences along the way.
For example, officers spotted a van being driven by a known suspect in Mansfield just minutes after starting a late shift on 19 January 2023.
Using a computer inside one of the squad cars to access real-time intelligence, they were able to immediately see that the driver was disqualified.
Officers in multiple cars then worked together to stop the vehicle, and a search of the van turned up around a dozen bikes, at least one of which had been reported stolen.
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As a result, the bike was returned to its rightful owner, and the driver was arrested on suspicion of theft, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance.
The county knife crime team regularly uncovers crimes that would otherwise go undetected by targeting individuals who may be involved in weapon-enabled crime in this manner.
This includes those involved in drug activity; last year, patrols throughout the county resulted in 138 drug seizures and 191 arrests for a variety of offences.
Proactive stop and searches have been critical to this success, with nearly 500 conducted in 2022 alone.
Nottinghamshire Police is one of only a few forces in the country with two dedicated knife crime teams covering the city and the surrounding county.
Sergeant Jonny Groves expressed his pride in the difference his officers have made to the community since the county team was formed in early 2021.
“Clearly, our main focus is to target knife crime offenders and weapon-enabled crime, but we do come across a variety of other offences as well,” said Sgt Groves.
A lot of people who carry knives have links to wider criminality like organised crime groups and the drugs trade, so that’s why we target those who we know are involved in this activity during our patrols.
“Inevitably, stopping and searching these targets will lead to us uncovering other crimes that we perhaps weren’t expecting to come across, which is precisely why we use this tactic.
“The hope is that this type of proactive policing will also allow us to stay one step ahead of anyone who does carry a knife, so that we can intercept them before a potential knife crime happens.
I’m really proud of the work my team does every day in Nottinghamshire.
I believe that the patrols we conduct and the tactics we employ contribute significantly to preventing and detecting weapon-enabled crime and making Nottinghamshire a safer place to live.
