The Yorkshire Evening Post's Saving Lives After Lockdown campaign is highlighting the devastating impact of knife crime on Leeds communities, looking at ways to prevent an upsurge in incidents post-lockdown. The leader of Operation Jemlock, a West Yorkshire Police crackdown on knife crime and serious violence, says "everyone has a part to play" in preventing people from picking up a weapon as officers continue to target the hotspot areas of the city.
Figures released to the YEP following a Freedom of Information Act request show which Leeds wards recorded the most sharp implement crimes in 2020.
This includes stabbings and a range of knife crime offences, crimes involving a piece of broken glass or other sharp weapons, and crimes where threats to use a knife are made by no knife is seen.
Here are the hotspot areas. All images are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent a specific location or incident.
![There were 127 offences recorded in Gipton and Harehills](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/QVNIMTIwMjc0MTc0.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
![118 sharp implement crimes were recorded in Little London and Woodhouse. This ward includes most of the city centre](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/QVNIMTIwMjc0MTc1.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
2. Little London and Woodhouse
118 sharp implement crimes were recorded in Little London and Woodhouse. This ward includes most of the city centre
![Burmantofts and Richmond Hill recorded 115 offences in 2020](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/QVNIMTIwMjc0MTc2.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
3. Burmantofts and Richmond Hill
Burmantofts and Richmond Hill recorded 115 offences in 2020
![95 sharp implement crimes were recorded in Hunslet and Riverside](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/QVNIMTIwMjc0MTc3.jpg?crop=3:2&width=786)
4. Hunslet and Riverside
95 sharp implement crimes were recorded in Hunslet and Riverside
![Beeston and Holbeck recorded 71 offences](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/QVNIMTIwMjc0MTc4.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
![There were 61 sharp implement offences recorded in Armley](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/QVNIMTIwMjc0MTc5.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)