WHEN IT COMES to fighting crime, there is one weapon more effective than almost any other. And that is a police-sanctioned rap about knives.

In what is surely a salutary example to gardaí, a UK force have taken an unusual step in their battle against local hoodlums. Thames Valley Police enlisted the help of local rappers to release a single about the dangers of knives, called An Eye for An Eye.

“We needed something fresh and relevant and that young people would actually identify with,” detective inspector Colin Seaton told The Guardian.

The clip is filmed in the town of High Wycombe, which is roughly the equivalent of setting a film about Dublin gang violence in Foxrock. But anyway, it’s doing pretty well: roughly 15,000 views on YouTube and on sale on iTunes and Amazon. (All proceeds go to charity.)

Here’s the tune. Are you listening, Commissioner?

YouTube/llomotey

Here’s hoping the Garda Band will soon be knocking out something similar. Judging by this video, they’ve got at least one youthful fan:

YouTube/catalin98

Listen: Warren G’s Regulate, re-run by 10-year-olds from Cork>