A new promise aimed at seeing the police work closer with youngsters across Burntwood and Lichfield is set to be officially launched.
Staffordshire Police’s county-wide Promise to Children will be launched by Chief Constable Mike Cunningham on November 6.
The Promise pledges that Staffordshire Police will:
“Listen, involve and inform young people. We will protect them; provide useful information and be available to young people when needed. Finally we will respect young people; work to prevent them becoming a victim of crime and act firmly but fairly against law breakers.”
The Promise will be launched in front of 200 young people, aged from 11 to 19, as part of the national 11 Million Takeover Day.
11 Million is an organisation led by the Children’s Commissioner for England to promote the views of children and young people up to 18.
The Promise, which is the first of its kind for the force, has been written in consultation with young people themselves who form part of the Staffordshire Police Young People’s Panel. It formalises the work Staffordshire Police is already doing with young people.
Chief Constable Mike Cunningham said:
“It is vital we communicate as effectively with our young people as we do with other sectors of society. The role of young people in helping to shape policing in Staffordshire is extremely important.
“Communication is a two-way process. Young people should have the confidence to speak to their local officers at any time, and officers should utilise every opportunity to speak to young people. By doing this we can develop good, positive relationships which will last for years to come.”
Following the launch, posters promoting the Promise will be rolled out to schools across the region, along with 76,000 bookmarks which carry the pledge.
Inspector Paul Johnson, the force’s Strategic Co-ordinator for Children and Young People, said:
“We are already striving to communicate effectively with young people and the Promise formalises this process. Young people themselves have told us what they expect from Staffordshire Police and we want to instil in them the same levels of trust and confidence we do with adults. They will no longer be the unheard section of our society.
“Staffordshire Police is there for young people and we want them to realise that.”
