Scouts and police link up in Donnington for speed enforcement event

The event will see 7 Scouts meet up with PCs and CSOs from West Mercia Police and then go out into the local community to assist with speed enforcement work. The work is being undertaken to help the Scouts achieve their Community Challenge Badge and comes as result of community walkabouts that the Scouts and the police have done in recent weeks to look at issues that need tackling in the local area.

PC Nikki Scott, Local Police Officer for Donnington, who along with and her CSOs Amanda Hall and John Bowen has played a key role in this initiative, has explained she is very much looking forward to the speed enforcement events:

“The work we have done with the Scouts so far has been very productive and we are very hopeful that the speed enforcement events will be just the same.

“Speeding and concerns about graffiti are the two main issues we are looking to tackle and the Scouts are very much looking forward to learning how we try to address these issues, and who we work with to try to make things better.

“At 10am on both Saturday’s seven Scouts - who will be in full uniform and with their Scout Leaders present - will meet with the Local Policing Officers and CSOs outside Donnington Police Station.

“The Scouts will then watch the “calibration” of the speed camera to ensure it’s working correctly before being escorted to Wrekin Drive.

“Once on Wrekin Drive the group will work alongside police officers, watch how the speed camera operates and also see officers pull over traffic and ultimately deal with any subsequent offenders.

“Depending on their actual speed, any offending motorists will be given three options - either to be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice, offered attendance on a driver awareness course or alternatively receive road safety advice from the Scouts.

“Any offending motorist who - on signing a consent form - agrees to take the road safety advice will then be asked to go to the Police Gazebo which will be situated in Winifred’s Drive.

“Here the offending motorist will receive road safety advice about the dangers of speeding in the Donnington area and beyond. Obviously local CSOs and Scout Leaders will be on hand at this point to observe this process.

“The event will end at around midday and we will all then hold a debrief session where the Scouts and ourselves can share some thoughts and discuss the learning points we have demonstrated during the morning.”

Superintendent Gary Higgins, Telford’s Territorial Policing Unit Commander, said:

“I have been really impressed with the work the North Telford Local Policing Teams have been doing with the Scouts and there appear to be real benefits for both parties.

“It’s great that we can offer assistance in helping the Scouts achieve their Community Challenge Badge and I really would like to congratulate everyone involved in this initiative for their effort and commitment in making it such a success.”