Mini Police Kids Take on Crime and Community in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire’s Mini Police, aged 9 to 11, are stepping up to learn vital safety skills and discover the real role of the police. Part of the county’s cadet scheme, these young recruits work across 20+ primary schools, taking on everything from knife crime awareness to road safety.
Schools on the Frontline in Safety Education
Year 5 pupils at Bentinck Primary, St Mary’s Catholic, Forest Fields, Claremont, and Sherwood Academy are all involved. They’ve been getting expert lessons from the Radford Road police team on knife crime, hate crime, cyber safety, and road dangers.
Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue also pitched in with crucial home fire safety tips. And the kids have been hands-on too, joining community projects like speeding crackdowns and local litter picks.
Real-Life Visits Bring Lessons to Life
St Mary’s and Bentinck Primary took field trips to Asda in Hyson Green, learning first-hand about shoplifting and road safety. They even toured the NET Tram depot to see how public transport works.
Last term, the Mini Police visited the ‘Choice and Consequences’ exhibition at the Galleries of Justice to witness the harsh realities of knife crime. They learned about the tragic death of Ben Kinsella, murdered a decade ago, making a lasting impression on these young minds.
More schools are set to visit the exhibition in the coming term, expanding the programme’s reach.
PCSO Lucy Oran: “More Than Just Police Lessons”
“The Mini Police programme isn’t just about the children learning more about the police and building that relationship, we also want to give them new experiences within the local community.”
“It’s been really good for the children to visit places on their doorstep like Asda and NET Trams, and when the children are out in the community in their Mini Police uniform, it always creates a conversation with people we meet.
“As well as delivering lessons on important topics, it’s really important to do different activities which give them an insight into the varying work the police do and open the children to new opportunities.”
These young Mini Police are proving that learning about safety and community starts early – and they’re doing it with boots on the ground right in Nottinghamshire.
