Hundreds of school children benefiting from Mini Police programme

Officers have been teaching hundreds of children about the dangers of drugs, how to stay safe online and the impact of anti-social behaviour as part of their Mini Police programme.

The programme is designed for Year 5 pupils and was launched by the force in September 2023.

It is spread over 12 classroom-based sessions and is delivered in schools by Police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

Southglade Primary School in Bestwood was one of the schools that took advantage of the programme, with around 60 pupils taking part.

The force’s Mini Police programme is designed for Year 5 pupils to learn about anti-social behaviour, violence against women and girls, understanding the law as well as promoting values of kindness, respect, and inclusivity.

The school had its graduation ceremony on Wednesday, July 8 and each pupil was given a certificate, with some pupils receiving special recognition for how well they had engaged with the programme.

During Mini Police sessions, the children took part in interactive scenarios and group activities.

PCSO Leah Thompson who delivered the sessions at Southglade Primary and Inspector John Lees, who leads the city centre neighbourhood policing team, handed out graduation certificates to the Mini Police members.

PCSO Thompson said:

“It’s been really rewarding going into schools and developing positive relationships with the children whilst teaching them all about the police.

“It was great to hand out the certificates to the students and celebrate how far they’ve come over the last 12 sessions.”

David Nyarko, a Year 5 pupil at Southglade Primary School, said:

“It’s been amazing being part of Mini Police and I wish it would never end.”

Chidiebere Okafor, also a pupil at the school, said:

“The Mini Police has given me the opportunity to maybe visualise myself being a police officer in the future.”

Jo Rowlett, deputy head teacher at Southglade Primary, praised the scheme. She said:

“We are delighted with how they have engaged with the sessions and how much they have enjoyed learning about topics like hate crime and drugs.”

The Prevention Hub is a collaboration between multiple force departments responsible for developing and delivering strategies to prevent crime and disorder throughout the city and county. 

Citizens in Policing Sergeant Kerry Hall said:

“The Mini Police programme has been a great success so far and this year Nottinghamshire Police has delivered the sessions to 612 students across 12 different schools.

“It’s really important that children are taught about issues like anti-social behaviour, as well as how to keep themselves safe online especially as they progress onto secondary school.

“We look forward to continuing to run the Mini Police programme in schools across Nottinghamshire and in doing so equip hundreds of children with valuable skills for the future.”