Students learn how decisions create consequences around knife crime

Officers from West Midlands Police visited schools in the neighborhood to show pupils how the decisions they make can lead to different consequences and situations and the problems of peer pressure.

Using virtual reality headsets, officers conducted video workshops to show students a scenario involving a knife crime and how their answers to different questions could lead to different outcomes.

Aimed at students between the ages of 10 and 16, the videos featured no violence or weapons and focused on students making decisions and seeing the consequences of their decisions.

Inspector Daniel Allen, from the Sandwell Police Partnerships team, said: “The use of virtual reality replicates a scenario that young people could find themselves in.

“Young people can be pressured by their peers to carry a knife and these workshops are a safe environment for students to not only see the consequences through their headsets, but also to have discussions with officers and peers.

“The sessions are part of our ongoing efforts to discourage young people from carrying knives.”

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: “We take knife crime and the carrying of a weapon very seriously.

“If you know someone who is carrying a gun, please call us on 101 to report it.

“You can also speak to us online or report Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

“For more information and advice on giving up the knife, visit our #LifeOrKnife website at lifeorknife.west-midlands.police.uk.”