It’s never worth it – a message about knife crime

I spoke to Isaac the day before he died, and I was due to see him that weekend.

One minute he was there, and the next minute he wasn’t.

I got the clothes he was wearing back and some bits and pieces from his car. That was it.

That’s what people don’t realise about knife and gang crime.

When it comes down to it, whether you’re shot or stabbed, if you die, there’s nothing left for anyone, for your family to remember you by.

For a lot of these youths it’s all about being the big man on the street and impressing their peers.

It’s the most eventful time of the year…

There are two stages to a night shift as a response officer at Christmas time.

First we see everyone dressed up in dodgy Christmas jumpers or fancy dress, covered in tinsel and glitter, and full of Christmas cheer as they make their way to pubs and clubs in town centres across the county.

Then there’s the second part of the evening, when it gets to closing time and everyone is a little too full of Christmas spirits.

This is the time that all officers dread.

A Fresh challenge

Moving away from home and starting a new life is a challenging  thing for anyone to do. When you multiply that by hundreds of people, you start to realise the kind of challenge that comes with policing Freshers’ Fortnight.

As a licensing officer, my role is to work alongside licensed premises in Luton to ensure that the night-time economy  are policed effectively and that venues are working within the law, to promote the prevention of crime and disorder.

But, for two weeks a year, we see hundreds of new students descend upon the nightlife hotspots of Luton and Bedford and it’s our role to ensure they stay safe and – wherever possible – sensible.

I used to work in Response, which is a different challenge entirely from the one I face now. But at the heart of both roles is my duty to protect people and keep them safe.

Over the past two weeks during Freshers’ Fortnight, I’ve helped steward as many as 700 revelling youngsters at a time.