A SECTION 60 Order, which was placed in Harlow on Sunday, 7 July resulted in arrests for knife possession offences.

The order followed an assault which took place in Harlow, East Road at around 4pm on Sunday, 2 July. Officers were called to the store following reports of a boy being assaulted after a disturbance.

The victim was punched and sustained minor injuries. Further enquiries revealed that the victim was in possession of a knife. He was later arrested on suspicion of possession of a bladed article and has since been bailed.

A Section 60 Order- Stop and Search in Anticipation of Violence Act was enforced across a wide area of Harlow.

This meant that officers were given additional stop and search powers within Harlow to assist with enquiries following this incident.

On Sunday, 4 July, another boy under the age of 18 was searched in The Stow. He was found to be in the possession of a knife, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a bladed article and has since been released under investigation.

Chief Inspector Paul Austin said “Residents in Harlow may have noticed an increased police presence on Sunday, 2 July. 

“Following the assault, we were concerned around how this could escalate between those involved.

“Officers decided to utilise this order to keep the wider public safe and prevent further people coming to harm.

“Enquiries remain ongoing and this assault is currently under investigation.” 

Stop and search is important to help us investigate crime and keep the public safe. The Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 is different from the usual stop and search as it means officers can search without reasonable ground for a specific time period within an authorised area. This must be signed off by a senior officer when it’s believed that there is a genuine risk of serious violence. 

Usual stop and search powers are never used lightly, and officers will only exercise their legal rights when it’s believed there is a risk.