Rob Nixon, Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police discusses the force’s commitment to young people – the importance of working with them to prevent crime and protect them from harm.
This year the force is being more visible than ever. We are achieving this through high levels of community engagement and problem solving – and sharing with you our successes. Good service, high standards and our public pledge are our priorities.
Working with young people to prevent crime and protecting them from harm is key. We do this in visible ways in schools and through patrols but also behind the scenes with targeted social media and resources for young people to use.
Our outreach to young people and schools has grown hugely in recent years, reaching tens of thousands of young people every year.
We offer educational inputs to schools, colleges and alternative provision – virtually and in-person. They focus
on the issues most affecting young people and their communities. But to understand the challenges young people face, we must listen to them. Therefore we have trained specialists to deliver these inputs and make sure we learn and develop what’s important to young people and their families. Delivered by experts, it keeps our offer consistent and constantly developing.
In addition, we have four police officers co-located with the Youth Justice Teams for the city and county, ensuring we engage with the most vulnerable.
All schools have dedicated neighbourhood officers from their local beat team to build relationships with. They share information and give support to schools directly.
Online we promote a range of practical, local resources for young people and families at www.livesafe.org.uk. We use social media to reach young people with useful advice too.
We have been working with Leicester City Council and the wider Community Safety Partnership (CSP) to develop a Youth Advisory Group. This will enable young people from across the city to give insights, discuss issues and influence the CSP’s work.
It is also a matter of great delight to see the success of our Mini Police and Cadet programs. Mini Police is for primary schools and introduces policing to young people to build trust, confidence and to understand the importance of early intervention and social responsibility. Cadets, for older children supported by volunteers, learn about the values and practice of policing.
We are investing in our young people and working with them to put in place the right prevention and support.
This is all part of our public pledge, our commitment to give a good service and high standards to all in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
