More than 2,500 arrests and 150 weapons seized in West Yorkshire Police operation

Operation Jemlock was launched in April 2019 in a bid to tackle serious violent crime in the region.

Officers made the 2,500th arrest as part of the operation on April 24, when responding to an incident in Leeds.

Just yesterday, four men were arrested by Operation Jemlock officers in Armley after police seized a 'large quantity' of white tablets.

Police have seized 150 weapons from the streets of West Yorkshire since the operation was launched in April 2019.

Knife-enabled serious violence has been reduced by over 10%, a reduction of 268 offences in the last year, compared to the same period the year before.

The force has also reported that hospital admissions for injuries with a knife or sharp object are down by 10%, while the number of knife crime victims aged under 25 has reduced by 11%.

Meanwhile robberies involving a knife or sharp implement are down by nearly 20% and all robberies are down by 15% - a reduction of 565 offences compared to the same period last year.

Superintendent Damon Solley leads Operation Jemlock said: "Operation Jemlock has used the extra funding provided by the Home Office to place dedicated officers working extra shifts into key areas of West Yorkshire.

"Through specific intelligence led deployments and working alongside their district colleagues on patrol, neighbourhood and investigation teams, they have achieved outstanding results in the first year.

"Operation Jemlock has been at the forefront of our collective effort to tackle serious violence but the whole organisation has got behind it to make a real difference.

"The task now is to make sure we continue the hard work to reduce this type of crime as much as we possibly can and we are determined to do this.

"I am extremely proud of the officers and staff who have delivered this but there is no complacency. It is a tough job to tackle this crime type and reduce it.

"We will not let up in our determination to continue making the people of West Yorkshire safer."

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