Northamptonshire Police have removed more than 350 knives and bladed articles across the county during a five-month enforcement surge that focused on hotspots including Wellingborough and Northampton. The five-month operation ran from September 2025 to January 2026; results were published on 30 January 2026. It was launched to tackle weapon-possession rates in Wellingborough that have been around twice the national average.
Officers focused patrols on the Queensway and Hemmingwell estates in Wellingborough as part of a local project known as Operation Revive. The team used amnesty bins where people could drop off weapons without penalty, alongside targeted stop-and-searches and warrant activity under a “Clear, Hold, Build” approach aimed at disrupting gang activity.
Northamptonshire Police said the results represent progress under Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet, who took up the post in January 2025. Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone said the next step is to work with community groups to help make these areas safer for residents.
The force also said officers are working to identify children who may be at risk of gang involvement so they can be offered support and alternative routes. Police say the operation has coincided with a fall in reports of violence and gang-related crime in the town during the five-month period; this is a trend reported by the force and local partners.
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