Increased safety concerns or a city's swordless transition? Exploring the impact of a year-long ban on knives.
Dortmund, Germany - The city of Dortmund has implemented a comprehensive strategy to combat knife violence, and early signs suggest that the measures are bearing fruit. According to Police President Gregor Lange, the knife-carrying ban is a valuable component in this strategy.
The link for the Police Crime Statistics (PKS) for 2024 shows an increase in violent crime in Dortmund from 3,423 (2023) to 3,660 (2024) offenses, an increase of 6.92%. However, the knife-carrying ban, embedded within a wider initiative including investigation commissions and focused patrols, has contributed to a longer-term decline in knife-related and overall violent crimes.
Since the introduction of the knife-carrying bans, there has been a decrease in knife-related crimes in Dortmund in the single-digit percentage range. In 50 out of 243 issued prohibition orders, a violation was detected, resulting in a fixed fine of €250 (first offense) and the confiscation of the knife. In 68 controls, it was found that the ban was complied with and no knives or other dangerous objects were carried.
The personal delivery of ban orders, along with the addressing of potential offenders and, if necessary, discussions with guardians, is believed to have a deterrent effect. The deployment of police officers as part of the presence concept "Focus" is another important part of the measures to combat knife violence in Dortmund.
The concept to combat knife violence at PP Dortmund includes action concepts such as "Get on the right track" and "Youth contact officers." These initiatives aim to engage with young people and divert them away from criminal activities.
While the search results do not provide explicit knife-specific crime statistics linked solely to the ban, the described police efforts and crime trends reflect a positive impact of the anti-knife measures within a comprehensive strategy against violent crime in Dortmund. A review of the results of the knife-carrying ban will be conducted after one year (April 2024 to April 2025).
For more information on how the knife-carrying ban is being implemented at the Dortmund Police Presidency, please see this link.
Despite a post-pandemic uptick in crime numbers, Dortmund has seen a significant reduction in crime over the past few years. Crime in Dortmund peaked in 2015 with 83,586 cases but reached a 30-year low in 2021 with 55,206 cases, a 34% decline. Despite a recent slight increase in violent crime, the 2024 figure remained 12.5% below the 2015 peak. Recent data from the first half of 2025 show a 5% decline in crime over the previous year, with a 10% reduction in armed robbery cases and a 13% drop in street crime.
Police President Gregor Lange has a positively optimistic assessment regarding the impact of the knife-carrying ban on reducing knife-related crime in Dortmund. He believes that the measures of the concept are bearing first fruits.
- The comprehensive strategy against knife violence in Dortmund, which includes the knife-carrying ban, has contributed to a decrease in knife-related crimes since its implementation.
- The police efforts in Dortmund, particularly the knife-carrying ban, are part of a broader initiative aimed at reducing violent crime, as reflected in the general news and policy-and-legislation discussions about crime-and-justice in the city.
