Walsall police given stop and search powers after spate of stabbings
Four people have been stabbed to death in the borough in the last 12 months.
Police patrols are set to be stepped up as officers vow to crackdown on criminals carrying weapons.
Officers have pledged to take a tough stance against knife crime after a spate of stabbings in Walsall.
As part of this Section 60 powers have been authorised for Friday night, meaning officers can stop and search anyone without reasonable grounds for suspicion.
A dispersal order is also in place, allowing officers to move on groups believed to be involved with anti-social behaviour throughout the weekend.
The new measures come after a string of knife attacks have seen four people stabbed to death in the borough during the past 12 months.
Two of the fatal stabbings happened in January. Nineteen-year-old student Rezwan Ali was knifed to death at a house party, while eight-year-old Mylee Billingham died after being stabbed at a home in Brownhills.
Meanwhile Reagan Asbury, 19, died after being stabbed in the neck at a boxing match at Walsall Town Hall in October and 26-year-old James Brindley was murdered in Aldridge last June.
West Midlands Police said a 'highly visible' police presence will be in the town centre during peak periods, while officers will also work with other organisations to offer reassurance to revellers heading into the town.
A mobile knife arch will also be used to detect weapons at venues after it was purchased through the Safer Walsall Partnership.
It is hoped the increased police presence will prevent a repeat of the violence which brought chaos to Walsall town centre in December.
Then a fight outside the town's UNIT nightclub saw a 20-year-old man rushed to hospital with stab wounds, while footage shared online showed people brawling on roads close to Walsall Cenotaph for several minutes with no police officers in view.
Chief Inspector Jason Anderson, from Walsall police, said: "One incident of knife crime is one too many and we are determined to keep the public safe on the streets of Walsall.
"Victims can suffer potentially fatal injuries while offenders face time in prison. It only takes a few seconds to make a decision which could have a life-changing impact."
Ch Insp Anderson added: "We are working with young people to educate them against carrying knives; having one for protection is no excuse."
Officers will be closely monitoring people and cars believed to be linked to crime, while working with charity StreetDoctors to warn about the dangers of carrying knives.
It comes after the force launched a week-of-action across the region earlier this month, dubbed Operation Sceptre, to remove knives from the streets.
The campaign saw 39 knives recovered and a test purchase operation resulted in six shops being handed written warnings after selling knives to youngsters.
The Express & Star launched a campaign to change the law on knife crime following a surge of violence across the region.
There have been 21 stabbings since the start of the year, with five people losing their lives.
