Officers work with KnifeSavers to deliver life-saving training

Cheshire Constabulary has joined forces with not-for-profit organisation KnifeSavers as part of its approach to tackling knife crime.

As part of the Force’s multi-faceted approach officers from Crewe Local Policing Unit have partnered with the knife crime charity, KnifeSavers.

Founded by trauma doctors at the Major Trauma Centre at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, and in conjunction with victims of knife trauma and their families, KnifeSavers aim to educate and inform the public on how to stop major bleeding from knife wounds.

Organised as part of the vast programme of activities supporting the return of the Knife Angel to the county this month, officers from Crewe neighbourhood beat team invited youth and volunteer groups, colleges and local businesses to join them for an in-depth training session on how to treat knife wounds of all severities - ranging from minor lacerations to wounds that cause severe bleeding and internal damage.

As part of the training volunteers were shown how to correctly use the Bleed Kits in the event of a knife attack.

The kits themselves are developed by Prometheus Medical, who produce bleeding control kits for ambulance services across the England and Wales, and contains equipment to occlude the circulation of blood following a significant limb injury, a haemostatic packaging gauze for packing into a wound to clot the blood and stop the bleeding as well as a high-pressure bandage that can be used to reduce internal blood loss.

Crewe LPU has acquired the funding to rollout a number of these Bleed Kits to establishments across the town, with training provided to those wishing to get involved.

Sergeant Steve Tandy of Crewe Local Police Unit, said:

"With the Knife Angel returning to the county this month, along with the launch of Operation Sceptre this week, there is no better time to highlight the outstanding efforts from our officers in keeping knife-related incidents across the region low.

“At Cheshire Constabulary we have a structured prepare, protect, pursue and prevent approach to tackling knife crime that involves working with our various partner agencies, like KnifeSavers, that highlight and educate the local community on the dangers of knife crime and the injuries it can bring.

"The recent securing of funding to distribute of these several game-changing Bleed Kits to several organisations across Crewe, we can limit the number of any potential fatalities or life changing injuries at the hands of knife crime."

To report any type of crime involving weapons, call Cheshire Constabulary on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Anyone who knows someone that carries a knife can report it to Crimestoppers anonymously on:

0800 555 111

...or via: 

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously

Information can also be passed to the force online via: 

https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report