UK STEPS UP FACIAL RECOGNITION AND E-BIKE PATROLS TO TACKLE LONDON KNIFE CRIME

The United Kingdom Government has announced tougher policing measures in parts of London as authorities intensify efforts to tackle knife crime and improve public safety.

The measures include the increased use of live facial recognition technology, smarter metal detection equipment, rapid-response electric bike patrols and additional foot patrols in areas identified as knife crime hotspots.

The initiative is part of the Home Office's newly launched No Place for Knives campaign, which began on November 2, 2026. The campaign is being piloted in Westminster and Croydon in London, as well as Birmingham city centre.

Under the programme, advertisements will appear at underground train stations, bus stops and on social media to warn potential offenders about increased police activity. A public awareness mural has also been introduced at Boxpark Croydon.

The government is supporting the intervention with more than £8.1 million from its Knife Crime Concentrations Fund, allocated across 18 Greater London boroughs. The funding will support targeted enforcement, youth outreach programmes and community safety initiatives.

Recent figures cited by the Home Office indicate that knife crime in London has fallen by 14 per cent since the current government took office. Knife-related homicides have also declined by 34 per cent, while knife-enabled robberies have dropped by 19 per cent.

Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones said the campaign was designed to target areas where knife crime causes the greatest harm and make communities safer.

The government aims to halve knife crime within a decade through stronger enforcement, early intervention and programmes designed to discourage young people from carrying weapons.