We're right '“ there's no knife-crime culture

The lack of blades or other offensive weapons has backed the police view Bognor does not have a knife-crime culture.

A series of fatal stabbings has dominated the national media this year. But Chief Inspector Brian Bracher, Sussex Police's Arun district commander, said most violent crime around Arun was drink-related rather than the result of knife wounds.

Commenting on the searches, he said: "Clearly, I am very pleased with the results as this was one operation where finding nothing could be considered a success.

"The aim of the operation had been to establish if there was an issue of persons carrying knives and weapons in the Bognor and Littlehampton area.

"From the police perspective, we had not seen any significant changes, but were continuing to get questions from our community as well as the press."

This led him to stage the intensive search operation to gain an accurate picture.

Nightclubs and pubs around Bognor and Littlehampton supported the operation on June 7.

All customers at the venues involved were checked with metal detectors by door staff. A number of people were subject to further searches. Police officers were present.

But only one person was detained in relation to the possession of illegal drugs.

Most customers were said to be supportive of the action. They were handed leaflets about the risks of carrying knives. The law states that a person found to be possessing a knife without reasonable excuse, which they have to prove, can be arrested and face a four-year prison sentence.

The metal detectors used were a mixture of the venues' own equipment and those loaned by the police.

Chief Insp Bracher said: "The results of this operation seem to show people are getting the message and not carrying knives or offensive weapons into our pubs and clubs."

The intensive search operation will be run again in the future.

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