South Yorkshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner Sees Mini Police on Patrol in Doncaster
South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Dr Alan Billings, visited the latest Mini Police recruits in Doncaster, last week, to welcome them to the programme and discover what they’ll learn during their time on patrol.
Pupils from Year 5 at Hill Top Primary School, Edlington, were welcomed to the programme by Jane Macdonald, Project Officer at the Lifewise Centre, who explained what the new recruits will get involved in.
Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), Ian Warhurst and Robert Hutchinson spoke about their roles in the community and how they’ll support the Mini Police.
In their introductory session, the pupils pledged the Oath of Allegiance, learnt about the different ranks in policing and decided on their ground rules as a team.
Mini Police is a project designed to help young people have a positive attitude towards the police and is funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
When enrolling, each Mini Police Officer is given a uniform to wear when they are ‘on duty’ and a notebook to record what they have learnt.
The ‘mini officers’ then work closely with their local PCSOs to deliver messages to the rest of their school about the role of the police and other emergency services.
The programme concludes with a reward day, where pupils celebrate their achievements during their time as Mini Police.
Following the induction session, Dr Billings said: “Mini Police is an excellent way of engaging with young people about the role of the police and how they can work together to make their community a safer place to live.
“The pupils at Hill Top Primary School were full of enthusiasm and eager to learn, which was refreshing to see and I look forward to seeing their progression throughout the programme.”