Pointed message

By Melissa Meehan
“A KNIFE can take a life”.
Greater Dandenong police are launching a campaign to stop young people from carrying knives and other weapons in an attempt to decrease the number of stabbings and violent crimes in the region.
Leading Senior Constable Steve Foster said along with the state-wide weapons amnesty local measures were also being put in place.
“The amnesty begins on the first of October until the 31st,” he said. “This means residents can bring any weapons to police without prosecution.”
Police youth resource officer Leading Senior Constable Lola Porter said police were also working with the community to reduce knife crime.
“My advice is for all parents to talk to their children about the dangers and potential harm carrying weapons can cause,” she said. “It is important for every young person to know if they carry a knife, they are more likely to commit an offence or have the knife used against them.”
She warned young people to walk away from peer pressure and to play a positive role in society instead.
Crime prevention officer Senior Constable Eddy MacDonald said the ‘knife can take a life’ slogan was aimed at young people and their families.
“We really want to try and get parents talking to their kids about knives,” he said. “Police can’t be seen as the sole answer to the problem, it’s on the whole community to seek the reduction in attacks that are happening.”
He said as part of the campaign police were working with Chisholm TAFE students to make a DVD targeting youth issues and putting together a flyer to highlight the risks.