The Heywood Neighbourhood team alongside The Rochdale Community Safety team launched 3 new permanent knife amnesty boxes on Saturday 10th August 2024. There is one bin located outside of the 3 Police stations across the borough. (Heywood Police Station, Middleton Police Station and Rochdale Police Station). 

Although our bins look a little plain at the moment, there is an artist working with groups of young people from around the Borough to design the messages. The final design is due to be put on the bins in October.

Many knives are held in innocence or ignorance of their illegality or because the community do not know how or where to dispose of their kitchen knife sets. 

The Forever Amnesty gives members of the public the chance to dispose of a knife (any kind) anonymously with no questions asked, by simply depositing it into the amnesty bin at their local police station.

Those surrendering knives are not required to give any personal details and will not face prosecution for carrying them.

These are here throughout the year and knives can be deposited at a convenient time for you without any questions asked, you do not need to see an officer and do not need to enter a police station. Just lift the yellow Shute and place the item in it.

Inspector Cooke states “This is a vital community facility, in order to reduce knife crime we must all work together and dispose of our knives and weapons safely and securely. You must take all reasonable steps to make any item(s) that you are surrendering are safe to handle while travelling to the police station, and also whilst being handled by police staff. Items must be packaged in a manner that allows them to be transported without causing distress or alarm to other members of the public, please place them in a sealed bag or box, they must not be carried openly at any time.”