Report the use of knives and weapons

Knives and guns are offensive weapons and it is illegal to carry, sell, hire or make them available to another person.

If you know someone who frequently carries an offensive weapon, such as a knife, report them:

• online – fill in our suspected crime form
• in person – visit a police station
• by phone – call 101
• anonymously to Crimestoppers

Surrender a knife or offensive weapon

Under the Offensive Weapons Act, it is unlawful to possess certain offensive weapons. This includes, but is not limited to, rapid firing rifles and specific types of knives, such as flick knives and zombie knives.

When surrendering a knife or offensive weapon:

• make sure items are wrapped in something such as a towel and carried in a bag to prevent injury
• consider going in daylight and during office hours when sites are staffed
• make a specific journey rather than carry an item for longer than necessary
• check opening hours before taking any large items such as swords, as these will not fit into the surrender bins

Surrender a firearm

To surrender a firearm, take it to one of the following police sites:

• Bridgwater Police Centre
• Keynsham Police Centre
• Patchway Police Centre
• The Bridewell Police Station
• Yeovil Police Station

Surrender a knife

Unwanted knives can be disposed of safely in a surrender bin which are permanently located outside the following police sites:

• Bath Police Station
• Bridgwater Police Centre
• Broadbury Road Police Station
• Keynsham Police Centre
• Kingswood Police Station
• Minehead Police Station
• Patchway Police Centre
• Radstock Police Station
• Shepton Mallet Police Station
• Taunton Police Station
• The Bridewell Police Station
• Wellington Police Station
• Weston-super-Mare Town Hall

Permanent knife surrender bins are also located at:

• Bristol Crown Court
• Bristol Magistrates’ Court
• Castle Park, Bristol (near the church, opposite the entrance to The Galleries)
• Staple Hill, Broad Street (opposite Page Park)
• The Park Centre, Daventry Road, Knowle, BS4 1DQ
• Trojan Free Fighters, St Jude’s, BS2 9DA

Bleed control kits

Emergency bleed control kits are located across Avon and Somerset in the event of someone suffering a catastrophic bleed.

They are designed to be easy-to-use and instantly accessible by members of the public and bystanders to use in moments before an ambulance arrives on scene.

In a medical emergency, always dial 999 first and ask for an ambulance.

See bleed kit locations.