Children from a primary school in Newcastle-under-Lyme took part in a Staffordshire Police Junior Cadet graduation ceremony today (20 June 2017).
A group of fourteen children at St Chad’s CE Primary School have taken part in six one-hour sessions led by local Police Community Support Officer (pcso) William Gibbs during school time, covering areas including road safety, police investigations and anti-social behaviour.
The junior cadets were presented with certificates for completing the sessions by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Matthew Ellis at the graduation ceremony. The children received their own pocket books to fill in during sessions along with a Junior Police Cadet baseball cap and t-shirt for completing the course.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, Matthew Ellis said: “I felt very proud to present certificates to the junior cadets who all looked extremely mature and professional in their uniforms.
‘It’s fantastic that primary school children are now becoming junior cadets and taking part in a fun-packed programme which teaches them how to become responsible citizens.
“It was great to speak to some of the cadets and hear how much they have enjoyed and learnt from the scheme. I thoroughly enjoyed the ceremony and seeing what a good start to life these youngsters have got.’
Pcso William Gibbs added: ‘We have just passed out fourteen junior police cadets here at St Chad’s Primary School in Chesterton. They have all really enjoyed the course and learnt about being good citizens.
‘The junior police cadets is important to us as this is the first contact some of these youngsters will have with the police and it will help them to build a relationship with pcsos and police officers.’
The junior cadets were launched by PCC Matthew Ellis in June 2014 after the original cadet scheme for 14 to 17 year-olds proved to be a success.
The junior cadet scheme takes place in primary schools for eight to ten year-olds across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. Groups of children take part in six one-hour sessions, led by a local Police Community Support Officer during school time, covering areas including good behaviour, road safety, school security, police investigations and anti-social behaviour.
The scheme is being run at no cost to the children or their schools with all expenses met by the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Corporate Social Responsibility Fund, a registered charity which is funded by donations from businesses and individuals.
