Natural History Museum security

kazzah60

My husband is a retired firefighter and for the 30 years I have known him he has ALWAYS carried a swiss army knife with him - I believe that many "public service" workers will do a similar thing because these knives are very useful tools.

There are literally THOUSANDS of instances where a small knife or sharp tool can save a life
my husbands fire service staff have a penknife attached to their breathing apparatus kit - this can be a lifesaving tool - it can slice a car seat belt on a person trapped in a RTC - cutting clothing or straps to allow first aid to be carried out amongst a multitude of other uses.

there are lots of scenarios where my husband has used his knife safely and to great benefit - it has a small pair of scissors attached, tweezers and a life saving corkscrew ! :rotfl:

My younger son also carries one - neither of them are thugs who can't be trusted and I believe that Rusty Boy is simply over-reacting - if I wanted to kill someone, I could hit them round the head with my handbag- that weighs enough to floor anyone !

Sambucus_Nigra

Well, I am a gardener and often pop my knife in my back pocket and then forget all about it....thanks to this thread I can now quote the relevant law if I am ever in the situation to have to do so.

Thanks CWCDiver

rustyboy21

Azari wrote: »

There are many things that are 'potentially lethal weapons' that are carried in public by all sorts of people every day.

If you can't trust the police to carry small knives how can you trust them with TASAR's and guns?

How would you get a 10" cook's knife home?

Talk about off topic !

When you purchase a cooks knife, you will invariably have it wrapped in some sort of packaging, you will also have a receipt ! therefore if you are stopped, you can legitimately prove you have purchased it and are taking it home.

Talk about clutching at straws !:eek:

I want you to know I am not anti police. My grand father was police sergeant in lancs police force, one of my BIL's was a police sergeant in Merseyside police before retiring and my other BIL is a a policeman in the gun/knife crime unit at merseyside police force now.

Quote ''If you can't trust the police to carry small knives how can you trust them with TASAR's and guns?'' .
Tasar guns and normal guns are intended to be used by the police. They become part of their kit when they are sufficiently trained and have been passed on using them. Since when have Knives been part of the police weapons battery?

If you are also saying that all policemen are law abiding, citizens, does that mean that the 12 police officers in a neighbouring county, are not instigated in a peadophile ring, with images of childeren found on their own home computers, are law abiding? as well as many others who have taken bribes from gangs to forget they have seen things, benefit scroungers etc. Yes they are thankfully a very small minority, but nots let underestimate, there are always bad pennies in the pot.

There are any number of reasons why someone might do that. They might have just bought it or been in transit to or from a dive. There are many other legitimate reasons why someone might have a small knife for day to day use.

Since when do you need to carry a dive knife in central london? Especially as it sounds that you are having a bit of a touristy day out with family. The OP has already pointed out that he carries them to cut things.

Even the croydon BSAC have asked the question and have asked for a fellow diver who is also a policeman to give his response. Yes it may not be ilegal to carry swiss army knives, but he does say that dive knives are not covered under this. If yo are not going diving, why dont you leave your knife in your dive bag?

http://www.croydonbsac.com/Newsletter/MuddyPuddleFeb2007.pdf

Look at page 9
That's why you are allowed to carry them!

any comments Azari? ( knowing that there will be, as you dont like to be wrong)

rustyboy21

kazzah60 wrote: »

My husband is a retired firefighter and for the 30 years I have known him he has ALWAYS carried a swiss army knife with him - I believe that many "public service" workers will do a similar thing because these knives are very useful tools.

There are literally THOUSANDS of instances where a small knife or sharp tool can save a life
my husbands fire service staff have a penknife attached to their breathing apparatus kit - this can be a lifesaving tool - it can slice a car seat belt on a person trapped in a RTC - cutting clothing or straps to allow first aid to be carried out amongst a multitude of other uses.

there are lots of scenarios where my husband has used his knife safely and to great benefit - it has a small pair of scissors attached, tweezers and a life saving corkscrew ! :rotfl:

My younger son also carries one - neither of them are thugs who can't be trusted and I believe that Rusty Boy is simply over-reacting - if I wanted to kill someone, I could hit them round the head with my handbag- that weighs enough to floor anyone !

Swiss army knives are completely legal as far as the law stands, so your husband is fine. It is when people who know better, start bragging that they carry X knife and are happy to do so, thats when I get annoyed.

CWCDiver

rustyboy21 wrote: »

Quote ''If you can't trust the police to carry small knives how can you trust them with TASAR's and guns?'' .
Tasar guns and normal guns are intended to be used by the police. They become part of their kit when they are sufficiently trained and have been passed on using them. Since when have Knives been part of the police weapons battery?

The first time the police force issued me a knife was in the mid 90s, and they have given me several more since then.

Yes I was having a touristy day out in London, I carry a knife with me every single day, tourism or not. Just like I carry a torch and several other useful things.

cybergibbons

What's the Mets DPS take on officers carrying multiple knives, on or off duty?

No1

CWCDiver wrote: »

Have you even read that which you are posting?

You may carry a knife in public if there is legal authority or good reason.

Knives with non-locking blades that can fold into the handle (e.g. Swiss Army Knife) are not illegal to carry in public as long as the blade is shorter than three inches.


Also I would suggest the site from which you are quoting has made a few factual mistakes. I carry several knives with me on a daily basis, all are legal.

Well they look just as dangerous as this.

What's the definition of a "Swiss Army Knife" ?

rustyboy21

CWCDiver wrote: »

STOP, you are now in the dangerous ground of not only talking piffle, but you are giving incorrect legal advice that could land someone in trouble. SOME Swiss Army knives are legal to carry about day to day as a matter of course, however they also make several knives that due to blade length of the fact they lock would not be lawful to be carried without a reasonable excuse.

I don't care how much you get annoyed that I carry a knife, the simple fact is it is perfectly legal.

Then why does one of your fellow colleagues on the link I have posted say the following

The second piece of legislation is much clearer and was written only with knives in mind. Thisis

Section 139 Criminal Justice Act 1988 which makes it an offence for any person to

have with them in a public place an article which has a blade or is sharply pointed.

The only exception to this is folding pocket knifes with a blade that is less than 3 inches long can not be locked into position. So whilst Swiss Army Knifes would be considered legal a dive

knife would not. Again though the law states that the offence is only complete if the person does not have a good reason or lawful authority to have the article. So here you would be lawfully in possession of a dive knife if you were on the way to a dive with the rest of your kit but be could be committing an offence if it was in your pocket on the way to the pub.

? Shouldn't you all be singing from the same hymn sheet?

And in any case with what you have said above, why are you perfectly entitled to carry one, but no one else is?

Don't you feel as a upstanding member of our country to set an example, especially as you are a senior policeman and stop carrying around knives as you do?

No1

Ah Mr Knowles who wasn't carrying the swiss army knife he is holding in that newspaper report but did in fact have this knife and had been threatening people in a pub...

What with a knife? Surely the charge would have reflected that if it were the case.

"Chairman of the bench Robert Horne ordered forfeiture of the knife and £40 costs to be paid.

He said: 'There is no previous conviction history whatsoever and it was not in his possession and was in the car glove compartment in a pouch."

CWCDiver

No1 wrote: »

CWCDiver wrote: »

Ah Mr Knowles who wasn't carrying the swiss army knife he is holding in that newspaper report but did in fact have this knife and had been threatening people in a pub...

What with a knife? Surely the charge would have reflected that if it were the case.

"Chairman of the bench Robert Horne ordered forfeiture of the knife and £40 costs to be paid.

He said: 'There is no previous conviction history whatsoever and it was not in his possession and was in the car glove compartment in a pouch."

Read what the police said on the issue