Primary school children are signing up for the exciting new Staffordshire Police Junior Cadets scheme which celebrated its launch in Cannock Chase District yesterday (Tuesday).
The original Cadet scheme, for 14 to 17-year-olds, was initiated in 2013 by Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis to strengthen links between police and young people and promote good citizenship. Successful units are already up and running in Cannock, Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent with more soon to follow.
The programme is now expanding with junior Cadet schemes being launched in primary schools for eight to ten-year-olds across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. The first group in Cannock Chase District was launched during a special school assembly at Chancel Primary School in Rugeley yesterday morning.
A specially-selected group of ten children will take part in six one-hour sessions, led by local Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Debbie Gardner, during school time, covering areas including good behaviour, road safety, school security, police investigations and anti-social behaviour. At the end of each course, junior Cadets receive certificates at the graduation ceremony.
The children, selected for being role-models to peers or deemed to highly-benefit from the scheme, will also get their own pocket books to fill in during sessions along with a Junior Police Cadet baseball cap and t-shirt for completing the course.
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.
Mr Ellis said: “In just over 12 months the Cadets scheme has already made a real difference to the lives of around 100 young people – some from challenging backgrounds.
“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.
“PCSOs already play a crucial role in local schools and giving them responsibility for the junior Cadets will only strengthen these relationships further.
“We’re working with the force to meet our aim of having at least one junior Cadet scheme in every local policing area so that as many children can benefit as possible.”
PCSO Debbie Gardner, who’s spent eight years working with the school added: “I’m delighted to be taking part in the Junior Police Cadets Scheme at Chancel Primary. The content of the course is fun and exciting, and it will give young people taking part an insight into all aspects of police work.
“It will contribute towards building healthy relationships between young people and police, and will help develop social skills and boost confidence levels.”
The school’s Headteacher, Tina Blankley, is fully behind the scheme, she said: “PCSO Gardner only suggested the Junior Cadet scheme to me last week, but I said ‘yes’ straight away.
“It will certainly benefit the community by raising the children’s awareness and involvement in it. The scheme will also give the children a better understanding of the work that the police do, helping build relationships with the police, which will help in the long term too.
“I know one of the children involved has the ambition to be a policeman when he’s older, so I think this will be super for them to have a go at real-life police work – it’s just a great opportunity for these children.”
The first of the six sessions takes place this Thursday at Chancel Primary School, on Wolseley Road.
Alec Lovell, aged ten, is one of the new Junior Cadets, he said: “I’m really looking forward to learning new things because I don’t really know much about crime and things like that.
“I think this will give us all inspiration to be police officers when we’re all older and also teach us what to do when we see crime taking place.”
Businesses are being invited to become Patrons and Sponsors to fund the Cadets Service. In return for becoming a Patron, businesses’ contributions are recognised through publicity, a framed certificate and other opportunities. For more details visit www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/police-cadets
