A knife-amnesty advocate has slammed the police’s slow response to his request for help after he tried to hand in three guns and a knife surrendered to him. 

Brave Odane Cross, who runs the ‘Trade A Blade’ campaign locally, filmed his experience outside Reading Police Station last week after officers did not immediately respond to his pleas for assistance.

READ MORE: Odane Cross launches knife-amnesty scheme

The Cross Kitchen owner claims he was arrested and forced to the ground when armed police did eventually respond to his calls.

But the disgruntled good samaritan said Thames Valley Police’s response time was ‘disgusting’ and ‘crazy.’

Odane’s own knife-amnesty scheme enables residents to trade a bladed article or a weapon for a free dinner at his Caribbean restaurant Cross Kitchen. 

After locals surrendered three guns and a knife to him last week, Odane attempted to dispose of the weapons safely at Reading Police Station on the evening of Wednesday, August 3. 

In a video posted on social media, Odane can be seen wearing a stab vest using the out-of-hours phone attached to the wall at Reading Police Station. 

He also attempts to call 101 in order to receive help from an officer, but when he fails to do so he resorts to calling 999. 

Odane was forced to take drastic measures after an hour of waiting when he went looking for a police car in his van, which had the guns and knife inside it. 

Speaking to the camera, he says: “What if someone really wanted to hand a knife in at this time of night? 

“They didn’t want to go hurt someone, they didn’t want to damage someone?

“What would they do? It’s ridiculous, awful.

“Over an hour trying to get a police officer so I can hand in three guns and a knife. Really? Over one hour, it’s disgusting. Thames Valley Police you need to do better.”

When he was eventually met by armed police officers, Odane was allegedly handcuffed and put on the floor while they retrieved the weapons. 

The knife-amnesty advocate said he was ‘grateful’ officers were able to assist him. 

Speaking to the Chronicle, he said: “How they dealt with it, I said to the police officers, if someone wants to give something in after 8pm they can’t do anything about it. 

“They need to put a[n] [amnesty] box outside the station.”

In response, a Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: “Thames Valley Police does not comment about complaints, as it would be inappropriate to do so.

“The force has a complaints procedure, which allows members of the public to make a complaint about the force or a member of our workforce. Details of our complaints procedure can be found via our website  https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/contact-us/give-feedback-or-make-complaint/

“In terms of our approach to knife crime, our message is clear, we have a zero-tolerance approach to knife crime.

“Thames Valley Police will use all the tactics available to us to make the region safer.

“The force and Reading Borough Council are working in partnership to tackle knife crime in Reading.

“Six community knife amnesty bins are available across the town for members of the public to safely dispose of any knives or bladed articles.

“The bins are bolted to walls and concrete floors, and have a letterbox designed to allow knives to be deposited whilst stopping anyone from reaching inside the bins.

“The bins are closely monitored and regularly emptied.

“You can find the bins in the following locations:

·         Waitrose Car Park, Caversham;

·         Cintra Park;

·         Coley Park Community Centre;

·         Kensington Park;

·         Orts Road;

·         Tilehurst Triangle.

“If members of the public have unwanted, unlicensed or illegal firearms, they should contact police via 101 and arrange for the firearm to be collected.

“During Thames Valley Police’s recent firearms amnesty in May, a total of 181 firearms and ammunition items were handed into the force.”

Speaking about his Trade A Blade campaign, Odane commented: “I run a Caribbean takeaway called Cross Kitchen and I offer people food vouchers for weapons to try and get them off the streets. 

“I want more members of the public to come out and try and do what I am doing, to do their best and see what they can do. 

“If they want to come out and patrol with me, I’m setting up a new patrol scheme where I will be patrolling parks and schools with a metal detector.

“I will be trying to speak to kids and even if they don’t have knives on them, I will be trying to guide them away from carrying knives. 

“If anyone wants to help and contribute towards some vests or GoPro cameras so we can record ourselves, it would be helpful.”