Nation’s
toughest knife laws reach one-year milestone with 228 edged weapons removed
from WA streetsMore
than 100,000 edged weapon scans conducted across the metropolitan and regional
areasThis
legislation allowed Western Australian Police unprecedented abilities to scan
people for the possession of edged weaponsLegislation inspired by Queensland’s
Jack’s Law to keep the WA community safe
The Cook Government’s new
knife laws have resulted in a successful first year, with the Western
Australian Police Force removing more than 200 edged weapons off the streets.
The nation’s toughest and
strictest knife crime laws came into effect 12 months ago boosting community
safety by providing Western Australian Police with additional powers to scan
anyone for concealed weapons without a warrant.
Stricter controls were
placed on the carrying, possession, sale, and supply of edged weapons in
entertainment precincts and supporting targeted police operations across the
State.
Since 20 December 2024,
the impact has been substantial, with more than 102,000 individual edged
weapons scans conducted State-wide.
These scans have resulted
in 228 edged weapons removed from the community, with more than 1,900 charges
laid against 1,076 individuals.
The knife-wanding powers allow
police to search for edged weapons anytime in five main protected entertainment
precincts: Fremantle, Hillarys, Mandurah, Perth-Northbridge, and Scarborough.
Anyone caught with an
edged weapon could face up to three years jail and a $36,000 fine.
The ‘lawful excuse’
safeguard will protect anyone who has a legitimate reason for carrying a knife
from prosecution. Possession for self-defence is not considered a lawful
excuse.
It is an offence to
refuse to undergo a scan or produce an object when requested by police.
Failure to comply could
result in up to a year behind bars and/or fine of up to $12,000.
The legislation was
inspired by ‘Jack’s Law’ in Queensland that aims to save lives and families
from the devastating consequences of knife crime.
These tough knife laws
add to the Cook Government’s overall crackdown on crime including the toughest
firearm laws in the country and outlaw motorcycle gang laws to enhance
community safety.
Comments attributed to
Police Minister Reece Whitby:
“These laws are doing
exactly what they were designed to do – get weapons off our streets and protect
the community.
“If you think you can
bring a knife into public spaces, think again. Our police will find it and you
will face the consequences.
“Fewer knives in our
community means a safer environment for everyone and our officers are using
these powers exactly as intended.”
Comments attributed to
Police Commissioner Col Blanch:
“We want our
entertainment precincts to be safe for everyone to enjoy.
“We’ve seen the
devastating effects of knife crime on families, and this sends a strong
message: if you carry a knife into our protected entertainment precincts, you
will be hit with the full force of the law.
“Our community is already
safer as a result of these seizures, and we expect this sends a strong message
to anyone irresponsible enough to carry a weapon. We will continue to use the
legislative powers available to us to reduce the risk of knife-related crime in
our community.”