guns, knives. what next? baseball bats? Cars?

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KNIVES ‘SERIOUS ISSUE’ – CHIEF BOYD
Date: Sep 25, 2006 11:37 AM
PUBLICATION: The Edmonton Sun
DATE: 2006.09.25
EDITION: Final
SECTION: News
PAGE: 12
ILLUSTRATION: photo of MIKE BOYD ‘Very concerned’
BYLINE: MICHELLE MARK, EDMONTON SUN
WORD COUNT: 274

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KNIVES ‘SERIOUS ISSUE’ – BOYD

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A province-wide gun amnesty will provide a powerful tool in curbing use
of the weapons on city streets, police Chief Mike Boyd said yesterday.

But it’s only part of the battle.

Boyd is applauding a move by the province to collect, on a voluntary
basis, firearms Albertans no longer want or need, but says knives are
another scourge that should also be taken very seriously.

“We do have a very serious issue around knives, certainly in the city of
Edmonton, but also in other parts of the province,” he said.

“I am very concerned about the edged weapons and the personal harm and
serious injury that people using edged weapons are causing to (people).”

Boyd said he’s worried about guns getting into the wrong hands and
hurting others, including innocent bystanders, but added knives should
not be overlooked.

“Knives in this city need to be curtailed because we have far too many
serious injuries and homicides involving those types of weapons as
well.”

He would like to see a “multi-faceted” approach to the growing issue of
knives, including a program similar to a gun amnesty and tailor-made
prevention strategies.

The province’s gun amnesty has been panned as ineffective for curbing
violence with critics saying there’s no way criminals will give up their
guns.

“Any way that we can help make our communities safer, I believe it is
important for us to do that,” he said. “I know there are some people who
are saying a gun amnesty won’t be helpful, but if there is one way that
we can help save a life or prevent serious injury in this province,
shouldn’t we be trying every single measure available to us to do that?”

Yesterday Solicitor General Harvey Cenaiko remained tight-lipped on the
announcement, which is being officially made today in Calgary and
Edmonton.

“We want to provide an opportunity for individuals who don’t want any
guns, weapons and munitions in their homes to call the police or
sheriffs to come to their home and remove of the articles and dispose of
them,” he said.