The controversial tactic is one of the ways the Met hopes to bring down the presence of knives in society.

Among the young Londoners to be killed using knives in recent years are 15-year-old Elianne Andam, stabbed to death in a row over a teddy bear, and 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa who was attacked on a bus in Woolwich.

The use of stop and search is something that the force's commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has been transparent about as a “challenge” in confronting such offences, posing potential to jeopardise trust within communities in London.

In an interview with Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Sir Mark said: “As we reach in to tackle those issues, the confrontation that comes from that reaching – whether it’s stop and search on the streets or the sort of operations you seek - the d

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