A milestone for The Staffordshire Police Cadet scheme has been reached with over 5,000 junior Cadets passing through the ranks.
Delivered by PCSOs in primary schools for eight to 10-year-olds across Staffordshire, the scheme, sees large groups of pupils learn about good behaviour, road safety, bullying, school security, police investigations, anti-social behaviour and the surrounding community.
Each junior Cadet receives their own pocket books to fill in during sessions along with a Junior Police Cadet baseball cap, t-shirt, badge and certificate when completing the course. The topics and issues are taught through a range of practical activities such as fingerprinting and forensics, using police radios and other practical activities on a weekly basis.
The hugely popular junior Police Cadet scheme was set up by a Staffordshire Police PCSO after seeing the success of the original Police Cadet scheme for 14 -17 year-olds initiated by Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime, Matthew Ellis in 2013.
Matthew Ellis, Staffordshire’s Commissioner said: “It’s fantastic that so many primary school children have now become Junior Police Cadets and are enjoying taking part in this fun-packed programme. The scheme is all about teaching young people the importance of being a responsible citizen and looking out for their community.
“PCSOs play such a crucial role in local schools and giving them responsibility for the junior Cadets is strengthening these relationships further and teaching the children that police officers are there to help them.”
The junior Cadet scheme is being run at no cost to the children or their schools with all expenses met by Staffordshire Commisioner’s Corporate Social Responsibility Fund, a registered charity which is funded by donations from businesses and individuals. A total of 5,159 Junior Cadets have now graduated from the scheme.
Chief Constable Gareth Morgan said: “The knowledge and skills the Junior Cadets learn on the scheme is invaluable for their futures. I’m extremely proud of all of our Cadets and the hard work they do every week. They’re real credit to their families, schools and Staffordshire Police.”
To find out more information on Staffordshire Police Cadets, visit https://www.staffordshire.police.uk/cadets.
To view a video of the cadets, visit: https://vimeo.com/327951723
