Recommendations for policing in Wiltshire made by young people
They've been researching different issues
A group of young people in Wiltshire have been making their recommendations on how policing should be in the county.
The Youth Commission have been researching a number of issues like drug and alcohol abuse and online safety.
They have now published their annual report and have given Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson some recommendations to help shape his Making Wiltshire Safer plan.
In 2021, members engaged with more than 1400 of their peers across the county who identified and fed back on six key priorities and gave recommendations on the following areas:
• Mental health
• Drug and alcohol misuse
• Social media and online safety
• Relationships with the police
• Abuse and violence
• Grooming and exploitation
Their recommendations included asking Wiltshire Police to monitor parks at night for drug and alcohol misuse and signpost users to safe spaces, promote stories where social media offenders have received punishments for their actions online and increase training and education for police around unconscious bias and prejudice.
Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson said:
“The Youth Commission and its members have been invaluable in bridging the gap between young people and the police.
“When it comes to young people, we often find that even with the best intentions, services and initiatives are provided for them, instead of with them and too often we risk ‘missing the mark’ and alienating the very people we are seeking to help. We need young people to tell us how we can best help them and design our support accordingly.
“This youth-led project will ensure that this engagement now happens and when it comes to police and crime matters, I will ensure that their incredibly insightful and thought-provoking observations and research are fully implemented in a timely and considered manner.”
In the coming weeks, recruitment will begin for more young people aged 14-25 to join the Youth Commission.
Wiltshire Police Superintendent, Phil Staynings said:
“I found the work of leaders unlocked to be innovative, inclusive and inspirational.
“As the hub commander in Swindon I'm now using some of the recommendations to inform some of our operational activity. This is truly transformative and will empower young people from across the county to confidently offer a voice in helping to shape how policing operates in the future.”
You can read the full report here.