Knife crime reform advocate Laraine Ludwig handed over knife-detecting metal wands to Hobart Division Senior Sergeant Danny Jackson outside the Kingston Police Station on Friday, December 19.
Ms Ludwig, whose son Reid was fatally stabbed in Blackmans Bay in 2019, started a GoFundMe campaign to crowdfund additional wands for Tasmania Police.
There are now more than 300 of these wands in circulation across Tasmania, following a successful four-month trial period and the passing of Reid’s Law, named in honour of Ms Ludwig’s son.
Over the trial period, Tasmania Police conducted 213 searches using hand-held metal detection wands, resulting in the seizure of 54 weapons, including 42 knives.
“Those figures speak for themselves,” Ms Ludwig said.
“One in four searches resulted in a weapon being taken out of the community.
“That is 54 potential acts of violence prevented and 54 opportunities for lives to be saved.”
Senior Sergeant Jackson said the very sight of these wands has proven effective, with cases of community members voluntarily surrendering weapons even before the wands are used.
“These wands are non-invasive, quick to use and proven to work,” Ms Ludwig said.
“If we can help put even a few more of them into the hands of police, then it is absolutely worth doing.
“Nothing will bring my son back, but I will keep doing everything I can to stop other families from experiencing the same trauma.
“I am incredibly grateful to the people who donated to make this possible.
“This is the community standing up and saying they want action, not excuses.”
Ms Ludwig was joined on the day by Jason Knight, who survived a stabbing at his workplace a few years ago, and his partner Laura Whittaker.
They are joining forces with Ms Ludwig to bring knife crime reform and awareness to the community, with the ambition of introducing educational programs to classrooms in 2026.
“Doing the same thing every day will just mean ending up with the same result every time,” Ms Ludwig said.
“That’s why we’re taking action.”
