Sport Programme Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour Celebrates 5th Year.
Sport FXSY set up by South Yorkshire Police, started in 2010 has helped to reduce anti-social behaviour in hard to reach areas of the region.
An awards ceremony will be held this evening, celebrating 5 years of success as well as highlighting the achievements of the young people involved over the last 12 months.
The initiative was originally set up in Barnsley, where is continues to help young people, but also stretches out across the whole region.
Hallam FM Spoke to Craig Butcher, from South Yorkshire Police, who is the head of operations for Sport FXSY. He explained how the programme makes a difference to the lives of the young people involved, as well as the impact on the officers.
'I genuinely believe the key to the success of this project is having a local officer embedded into that project. Young people get to know that officer, they get to speak to him, they get to know him as a person, and that is the key.'
'That officer, which can then when he meets these people out on the streets in his full uniform, he can then have a different relationship with that person. They know him from a positive aspect, they know him as a friend, they know him as someone that supports them, and naturally works hard for them.'
Craig also told Hallam FM how there needs to be a change in attitudes towards the police, and Sport FXSY is one way to do this ...
'what’s happened now is that young people have no respect, or appear to have no respect for the police. And I think we've got to be fairly smart, fairly clever in getting these young people on board, and earning their respect, because I think that's a big thing.'