West Yorkshire Police have developed the Junior Detective Project, working with year 8 students from Leeds City Academy, designed to help young people make informed decisions in the future and equip them to become 'knife crime ambassadors'. The project is partnered with St Giles Trust, Leeds Rhinos, The University of Leeds and the NHS. Students work closely with police officers on an investigation into a mock exercise around 'a serious knife related offence' and has been designed to raise awareness of knife crime and criminal exploitation. The task was to work through a fictional criminal case put together by experienced detectives to investigate. They received input from police officers, NHS trauma surgeons, and lived experience speakers.
Throughout the week, there were visits to the medical school and school of law at the University of Leeds, ending at Leeds Crown Court in which there was a sentencing by a real judge.
Whilst the project is aimed at selected 13 to 14 year olds, three Notre Dame students are involved as actors. Kaydn Carkeet acted as a suspect, who was interviewed and sentenced. Finlay Graham was the victim and Yvie Prior-Smith played Finlay's mum. All three are currently studying the Acting BTEC or Theatre Studies A Level. This was a great opportunity to support the fantastic work by West Yorkshire Police, and test out their acting skills!
The week ended with a celebration at Headingley Stadium, where the year 8s 'graduated' and became the first cohort of knife-crime ambassadors, helping the project's aims of intervening early and safeguarding young people from getting involved in knife-related crime. There has been lots of media coverage, including features on BBC Look North. Our students attended the celebration, meeting some Leeds Rhinos players, hearing a talk by Jamie Jones-Buchanan, and received free tickets for the match on Friday evening.
It was a great opportunity for our students to support the worthy initiative.
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