Know your Bobby scheme tackles youngsters concerns
Abergavenny neighbourhood policing team has launched a Know your Bobby scheme to encourage young children to feel confident to approach and interact with local police officers.
Abergavenny neighbourhood policing team has launched a Know your Bobby scheme to encourage young children to feel confident to approach and interact with local police officers.
The concept of the scheme is similar to that of the successful Top Trumps initiative. Ward police officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) will carry Top Trump style cards when out on the beat which local children can collect from them.
In total there are 14 cards to collect. Each card carries a photograph of an officer from the neighbourhood policing team, a personal safety message (covering topics such as staying safe online, stranger danger and road safety) and contact details for Gwent Police and Childline.
Abergavennys PC Tracey Bowen-Quirk said: This is a fun scheme which will encourage young children in Abergavenny to speak informally to police officers and PCSOs. Hopefully they will become more confident to ask questions and share any concerns they may have with us. The messages on the cards reinforce basic but very important steps they can take to make sure they stay safe, look after themselves and their property.
When children have completed their collection they will be entitled to a free voucher allowing them to attend an activity day where local sport and hobby clubs will be showcasing what they offer in the area. The purpose of the activity day is to encourage local schoolchildren to find alternative, constructive leisure time activities to occupy their time over the summer holidays.
The scheme is being trialled in partnership with Deri View School, in a Communities First area of Abergavenny which covers Lansdown, Croesonen and Mardy wards. It is believed to be the first of its kind in Wales.
Mrs Teague, headteacher at the school, said: It will give the children the opportunity to build up effective relationships with the neighbourhood policing team and encourage them to become responsible citizens in the future.
It is hoped that the scheme will be rolled out to other areas as one of a range of early intervention tools to discourage any potential incidents of anti-social behaviour.