The Yorkshire Evening Post's Saving Lives After Lockdown campaign is highlighting the devastating impact of knife crime on Leeds communities, looking at ways to prevent an upsurge in incidents post-lockdown. The leader of Operation Jemlock, a West Yorkshire Police crackdown on knife crime and serious violence, says "everyone has a part to play" in preventing people from picking up a weapon as officers continue to target the hotspot areas of the city.
Figures released to the YEP following a Freedom of Information Act request show which Leeds wards recorded the most sharp implement crimes in 2020.
This includes stabbings and a range of knife crime offences, crimes involving a piece of broken glass or other sharp weapons, and crimes where threats to use a knife are made by no knife is seen.
Here are the hotspot areas. All images are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent a specific location or incident.
2. Little London and Woodhouse
118 sharp implement crimes were recorded in Little London and Woodhouse. This ward includes most of the city centre
3. Burmantofts and Richmond Hill
Burmantofts and Richmond Hill recorded 115 offences in 2020
4. Hunslet and Riverside
95 sharp implement crimes were recorded in Hunslet and Riverside
