Tram Backs Knife Crime Initiative

The force's Mini Police are taking part in the Choices and Consequences workshops ran by the National Justice Museum in partnership with the Ben Kinsella Trust.

The workshops have been funded through Tesco in conjunction with their Groundwork initiative after being successful in-store scheme last summer.

The young officers from the Bentinck Primary School learnt about the impact of knife crime, at choices and consequences. Four hundred Mini Police will have attended the workshop by the end of April.

The workshop included how to make safe decisions and good friends, the realities of prison life and the law and how it is applied to knife crime cases.

Nottinghamshire Police Superintendent Suk Verma said: "It's very important to secure this grass-root funding and I'd like to thank everyone who have been involved in such an informative day. I'm sure the workshop will stick in the minds of the Mini Police for many years.

"It's crucial that these two-hour workshops educate children about the consequences of carrying a knife and how to make positive choices to stay safe."

Partnership Officer Helen Ridley said: "It was fantastic to secure the funding through the Tesco scheme and it's wonderful to use it with such a worthy cause. All the students have been fully engaged and enjoyed today’s workshop.

"I'm sure they will have learnt a great deal and educate them of the consequences of knife crime and the devastating effect that is has on families."

The force would like to thank NET and NCT who supplied free travel for the children to get to the workshops.

Lee North, NET Quality, Health, Safety and Environment Officer, commented: “We’re delighted to be able to support this valuable initiative aimed at tackling an issue that’s of real concern to our local communities.

“The safety and wellbeing of our customers and staff is always our number one priority and by working with the police and other partners we’re playing our part in reducing crime across the city while making Nottingham an even better place for young people to reach their full potential.”

Gill Brailey, Director of Learning, National Justice Museum said: “No child is born carrying a knife, it is a choice some make.

“Choices and Consequences is an award winning anti- knife crime prevention workshop which enables young people to think about the choices they make, and to realise that every choice has consequences, good or bad.

“At the National Justice Museum we are delighted to welcome the mini police to Choices and Consequences.”

The force's Mini Police programme began in 2018 by seeking to engage with the children and staff with the aim of wider community engagement to build trust with the police. This interaction naturally led onto positive engagement with the parents and carers of the children involved in the programme.

The programme is exclusively for Primary School children age 9-11 years (academic years 5 & 6).

The Notts Mini Police is the fourth largest in the country and can boast more than 600 students across 22 schools across the county.

To find out more about Mini Police: www.facebook.com/NottsMiniPolice/