Attestation Ceremony for Mini Police pupils

A selection of pupils in Year 6 were chosen to take part in the Mini Police scheme.

Top L-R: Liam Bramley, Toby Dixon, Spencer Smith, Louis Dixon. Bottom L-R: PCSO Abi Chambers, Samuel Milne, Ruby Matheson, Lola Adams, Ellah Elliott-Wingate, Jay Lunn and PC Danielle Goldsmith.

Mini Police is an interactive scheme for primary school children delivered by Humberside Police.

Each child was selected because they have shown specific attributes and skills through their time at school and they would benefit from the experience.

They have learnt about the police force over 6 weeks with Police Community Support Officer Abi Chambers and Police Constable Danielle Goldsmith.

The programme has covered topics that they will benefit from and be able to take with them into their next stage of school at secondary level.

They have focused on subjects such as ‘Stranger Danger’, cyber bullying and road safety.

PCSO Abi said: “It’s great to do things like this as the students can ask us things that they wouldn’t normally be able to ask.

This allows us to be more approachable for them and give them the opportunity to benefit from us becoming more relatable.”

The children had lots of opportunities to learn about the different aspects of policing with Abi and Danielle allowing them to see a police car, a real crime scene and trying on uniforms.

All of the pupils involved in the scheme took part in an Attestation ceremony and graduated as part of the Mini Police.

Each pupil wrote down what they enjoyed most about the experience.

Liam Bramley said: “My favourite workshop was when they brought a police car and we were able to get inside and see how it all worked.”

Lola Adams said: “The best part was when we got to see a crime scene and how a real crime scene would work.”

Samuel Milne said: “I enjoyed the part when we got to try on a police uniform.”

PCSO Abi added: “They loved the CSI kind of things we showed them. They were really interested in the processes of how evidence is collected and how we deal with a crime scene.”

The ceremony was opened with the children all reading their Police Promise that was written at the start of their six-week programme. They wrote it as a class with the help of Abi and Danielle.

All of the children were then presented with a certificate and thanked Abi and Danielle with gifts and flowers for their help and effort over the past six weeks. The school was also presented with a certificate which will go on display within the school.

Vice Principal, Lisa Waring said: “The children were really excited to have been offered the opportunity to be trained by acting police officers Abi and Danielle on the Mini Police programme.

The programme covered a wide range of topics with hands on activities such as investigating a crime scene, trying on police equipment and sitting in a police car with the lights and sirens on.

The children looked smart and were able to share their reflections with their families at the attestation ceremony. Abi and Danielle have inspired the children to consider the role police officers play in our community and the important work they do to keep us safe.”

Principal of Reynolds Academy, Rebecca Scott said: “As a school we want to get more involved in the community and this is one of the ways we think the children will really benefit from it.

The pupils have all really loved the opportunity that this has given them. They now know Abi and Danielle and when they see them out and about doing their jobs, they have a better understanding of what’s going on and maybe even have the drive to head in that career direction in the future.

I would like to thank PSCO Abi and PC Danielle for taking the time out for us to do this and we are so grateful for the scheme.”