Brighton and Hove Police have just launched a new project called ‘Meet the Police’, a child-focused initiative that aims to build stronger links between the police and their local community.Â
The city policing team will be working in partnership with Carlton Hill Primary to break down barriers and building stronger relationships between police and the community.
Studies have indicated that police working with schools offers a range of benefits, for the police for the teachers, the students, the whole school and wider community. These benefits include improved relationships, increased accessibility, an increased sense of safety, improved attendance, raised achievement and a reduction of offending and poor behaviour in schools.
With crime in Brighton, such as the County Lines drug network, increasingly involving young children, it is vital that the police are able to form positive relationships with young people in Brighton. Police may offer enforcement about the safety of these young people, for example, help with tackling crime, discipline, safety and behaviour in schools. They may also offer an involvement with the supoorting of young peoples quality of life and knowledge about what the police do. This partnership may also involve strategic and preventative working, for example sharing intelligence with other agencies.
District Commander Rachel Swinney has explained the importance of this project:
“We are really pleased to be working in partnership with Carlton Hill Primary School and I would like to thank the headteacher, Tamsen Beer, and all the staff for the tremendous support they have given in getting this project started.
“The school is right by John Street Police Station, so to be involved as the first school to test this initiative is very fitting and exciting.”
There are children from many different cultural backgrounds at the school and for most its will be their first encounter with police and we are determined to make it a positive and meaningful experience.
“We will be working with year 6 children and looking are some important life skills such as citizenship, friendship and being part of a community. We have some fantastic experiences lined up and look forward to meeting the children and the school community over the next four weeks.”
Headteacher Tamsen Beer said: “We are delighted for our Year 6 pupils to have this unique and exciting opportunity to build strong relations with the Police.”
