After a spate of shocking stabbings in Sydney, NSW Police will be given new “wand” powers so they can scan people for bladed weapons without a warrant.
Premier Chris Minns said it was “essential that we step up to take immediate action” to get knives off the street, reduce stabbings and boost community safety.
The “wand” strategy is part of a suite of proposed measures which will make it illegal to sell knives to people aged under 18 and give courts tougher penalties to punish offenders.
Modelled on Jack’s Law in Queensland, which followed the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Jack Beasley, NSW police will be able to “wand” or “scan” people for knives in designated areas, such as transport hubs, shopping centres, pubs and other crowded places.
The “wand” laws will be adapted for NSW, but the powers won’t be in place 24/7.
Instead, the power can be activated in certain areas for a 12-hour period with the possibility it can be extended if required.
Last year police seized almost 4000 knives in public places.
“In recent weeks and months, we have all borne witness to the devastating outcomes of knife-related violence,” Minns said, announcing plans to introduce legislation to the state parliament.
“It’s essential that we step up to take immediate action to send a clear message that NSW will simply not accept these kinds of crimes.”
Once legislated, it will be illegal for retailers to sell knives to anyone under 18 unless young people can prove they need a knife for work or study. Anyone illegally selling knives will face tougher penalties.
Last year there were 1500 assault and robbery offences involving a knife, according to NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, down from more than 4200 in 2004.
Queensland Police have scanned 39,000 people and seized 400 weapons since they started conducting Jack’s Law wand operations from April last year.
Confiscated weapons ranged from kitchen and butcher’s knives, tomahawks, hammers, hunting knives, knuckle dusters to screwdrivers.
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NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said it was important to increase police powers because “too many young people” were carrying knives out in public.
“The worrying thing is that, if they are open to carrying it, then they are probably open to using it.”
Last year the NSW government doubled penalties for people caught with knives in public.
