Matthew Ellis, Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, spoke at Hartshill Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meeting on Monday 13 April to urge members to show their support for the ongoing roll out of Staffordshire Police Cadet units.Mr Ellis spoke to PACT members about the Cadet scheme which he first introduced in April 2013 with an aim to strengthen links between the police and young people and promote good citizenship.Successful units have been launched in Stafford, Cannock, Stoke on Trent North and recently Tamworth. There are now over 100 Staffordshire Police Cadets and over 1,000 Junior Police Cadets.
Mr Ellis said: “It was fantastic to talk to members of Hartshill PACT about the Staffordshire Police Cadets and the Junior Cadets. I received a warm welcome and there was an excellent question and answer session.
“Our Cadets show fantastic dedication and commitment to the scheme and every week they are learning new skills, as well as gaining a real insight into our work.
“It isn’t about recruiting police officers – it’s about developing young people and giving them a sense of civic duty, building character and helping them become responsible citizens.”
The Commissioner has stated that he will not redirect money that’s used for frontline policing to fund the Cadets Service. Businesses are being invited to become Patrons to help fund uniforms and equipment for the Cadets. In return for becoming a Patron, businesses’ contributions are recognised through publicity, a framed certificate and other opportunities.
