Young cadets learn about the impact of knife crime

8 July 2024

The impact of knife crime, first aid and how to carry out an investigation are just some of the things young cadets learn about with Nottinghamshire Police.

PC Shaun White has spoken about the programme and how it can help inspire the next generation of police officers.

“We introduce them to all different policing subjects over the year,” said Nottinghamshire Police Federation member Shaun. “It’s a varied programme and the cadets get loads out of it.”

The junior volunteer police cadets programme is for secondary school age children between Year 7 and 11. They are run in Bestwood, Mansfield, Bulwell, Force headquarters, and a new base in Hyson Green, which was officially opened in February.

Senior cadet sessions are available to those in Year 12 and 13 and is based at Force HQ.

Shaun is the principle leader for Bestwood junior cadets.

He recently organised a Crime Month, during which the cadets under his instruction looked at a burglary.

“They get to see the report coming in from the victim and then they have to speak to the victim,” he explained.

Investigation

“They’ll start an investigation and trawl through evidence, see what’s relevant and then get to do an arrest, book them into custody, and get to interview them. So they follow the whole investigation.

“We then discuss the criminal justice system and what punishment they think someone would get for the offence.”

The cadets get to understand other areas of the Force as well, such as community policing.

Shaun said: “We do a project which requires them to engage with the community and talk to them about the issues.

“Then we take our research to the local neighbourhood sergeant and they come up with ideas to tackle whatever the issue might be.

“They’re learning through doing and taking an active role in the community.”

Shaun delivers the first aid sessions to all five cade bases, and used the recent Operation Sceptre week of action – which gives the Force a chance to showcase some of its work around knife crime – to look at how to give first aid to stabbing victims.

They looked at how to pack a wound, how a tourniquet can stem blood flow, and different aspects of a first aid kit such as wound dressings and burn gels.

Shaun said: “We wanted to use Op Spectre for the cadets to learn about knife crime and to learn practical skills they can use in an emergency.”

The cadets programme aims are:

·         To promote a practical understanding of policing among young people

·         To encourage the spirit of adventure and good citizenship

·         To support local policing priorities through volunteering and give young people a chance to be heard

·         To inspire young people to participate positively in their communities

 The programme in Nottinghamshire is proving hugely popular with a waiting list of around 190 people at the start of this academic year.

Shaun, who was awarded Cadet Leader of the Year at a ceremony earlier this year dedicated to the Force’s volunteer cadet leaders and police support volunteers, said a number of factors could be driving the interest.

“Perhaps it’s popular culture because everyone has seen TV programmes such as Police Interceptors,” he said.

“But we go to community events to show what we do and to talk to people.

“And I think a lot of people when they’re young want to be a police officer and we give that opportunity to those young people to experience some of it.

“We show them what happens behind the scenes, and I think that possibly encourages people.”

And some of the cadets do go on to roles within the Force.

Experience

“We’ve got one lad who has applied to be a Special,” Shaun said. He’s at university and getting some experience working in a shop.

“He can do the four hours volunteering a week or more, get experience, and then he can apply for one of the entry programmes a bit later on.

“Around 10 of the seniors are looking to go into police officer roles in the future, or police staff roles.

“A lot follow it through to go into the policing world, such as forensics, rather than just being police officers,” he added.

Find out more about Nottinghamshire Police’s cadets programme.

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