A meat cleaver, axes: The weapons taken away under WA Police’s new search laws

A meat cleaver in a homemade sheath; a machete, handle wrapped in an Australian flag; a tree axe.

Those are some of the confronting weapons once hidden in bags and pockets on WA streets that have been taken away since new wanding laws came into effect 12 months ago.

According to the latest statistics WA Police have carried out 102,034 metal detector scans across WA, uncovering 228 edged weapons.

The legislation is modelled on Queensland’s “Jack’s law”, brought in after teenager Jack Beasley was stabbed and killed on a night out on the Gold Coast in 2019.

It gives police the power to use metal detectors on people in Protected Entertainment Precincts from Hillarys to Mandurah.

Senior officers can also declare temporary scanning zones anywhere in public.

Police Minister Reece Whitby said the statistics showed the laws are proving successful.

“They give police the ability to simply wand someone and if they’re armed, they’re gone.” he said.

In WA’s hidden weapon hotspot – the Perth party precinct – 46,055 scans carried out, uncovering 135 edged weapons.

Looking at a haul of some of the seized weapons at Perth Police Station, Acting Senior Sergeant Dave Ball said: “It beggars belief that we have a party precinct and we’ve got people coming into this area armed with stuff like this.”

Whitby said while the haul was confronting, people in Perth had a reason to feel safe, with only a small number of patrons carrying edged weapons.

“102,000 scans have occurred, 228 weapons seized,” he said.

“The vast majority of people we see in the city are not armed, are not carrying weapons.”

Almost 2000 charges were dished out across WA as a result of the searches, most of those for possessing a weapon or drugs.

Ball said the scans have been successful on the beat.

“The public have been extremely receptive and we pretty much have no issues at all,” he said.

In the last year, only 14 people have been charged with failing to comply with the scans.

And with the party season in full swing, police warned patrols would be ramped up to ensure everyone can celebrate safely.

“It promotes community safety – we want individuals that are legitimately coming out to the party precinct to feel safe,” Ball said.

With 9 News Perth.