Thames Valley Police has enacted a Section 60 order in Milton Keynes this evening (10/5).
The order has been put in place in the north of the city, as defined in the map below, based on intelligence from ongoing investigations into violent incidents that have taken place in the city over the past few days.
The order will be in place for 24 hours and will expire at around 5pm tomorrow (11/5).
A Section 60 order can only be put in place in a defined area at a specific time when a senior officer believes there is a possibility of serious violence, or weapons being carried.
The order temporarily enhances powers for officers, meaning they can stop and search anyone in the area shown on the map below.
The order will be reviewed tomorrow and could be extended further.
Inspector Laura Herrington, based at Milton Keynes police station, said: “We have put this order in place to prevent violent incidents from happening.
“This is just one of many tactics we can use to deter violence but I hope it makes anyone considering committing violence or carrying a knife think twice.
“The order will give our officers extra powers to carry out stop and search activity, and has been enacted for the safety of the public.
“I understand that an order of this nature could cause concern, but while it may sound alarming, enhancing our stop and search powers provides us with another tactic to quickly identify and disrupt those carrying weapons.
“If you are stopped by an officer, please do not be worried as this does not mean that you are in trouble.
“You will see more police officers in the area while the order is in place and we expect to carry out more stop and searches than usual.
“Officers who are out and about are there to reassure you as well as using their powers under Section 60 so please do stop and speak with them about any concerns that you have.”
For more information on stop and search, visit here.
