Police set up knife arch outside popular Telford venue
Police set up a 'knife arch' outside a popular town centre venue as part of efforts to catch people carrying weapons.
Telford & Wrekin Cops set up the arch outside the entrance for Southwater's Tenpin Bowling alley on Saturday.
A knife arch works by detecting for weapons when people walk through it.
The arch was manned by two police officers and a post accompanying a picture of them on social media said: "This was to provide reassurance, raise awareness and deter people from carrying knives."
There were a number of comments from the public in reaction, with one posting: "This is fantastic to see it should be something that always in place."
Another added: "Should be automatic five years if you're caught... there's only one reason you're carrying a knife in public."
Responding to a suggestion from one person that knife arches should be in place at schools, the police said: "The knife arch has been used in schools. We’ve also used it at train stations, pubs, nightclubs and other locations where we feel presence is necessary."
However, one user called for the set-up to take a more discrete approach, in the hope of catching unsuspecting offenders.
He said: "Surely this should be a bit more conspicuous.
"I mean you'd have to be a bit of a whoppa to see that and continue to walk through it with your machete up your North Face."
