The start of the Autumn term is a busy time for schools. Safer Schools Officers (SSOs) in London will create opportunities to meet & greet year 7 pupils in assemblies, throughout the school day and outside school at the end of the school day. Some may make themselves available during break times and lunch times so pupils can see them and come and speak to them if they wish.
One talking point with staff and pupils may be around stop & search - discussing what police officers can and can't do, how police lawful powers are different inside schools and advice for pupils on what to expect and what to do should a police officer stop them in the street.
This year, we're looking at how SSOs are managed and where they are placed through a school prioritisation product
to help police supervisors manage their teams and school partnerships more effectively,
particularly at a time where the number of officers is down.
Some of the activities we expect from our Safer Schools
Officers during the autumn term are:
- Attending schools to meet and greet year 7 pupils in assembly where they will talk about robbery and other crime prevention
advice.
- Presentations on personal safety, hate crime,
fireworks safety, road Safety, anti-bullying and property safety in preparation
for January robberies, as well as stop and search workshops.
- Activities focused on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)
- Early intervention with primary schools
- Crime prevention advice displayed on school notice boards.
- Patrol plans that utilises Dedicated Ward Officers to
bolster after school patrols. This includes routine patrols with head teachers and other
school staff.
- SSO’s will conduct weapons sweeps in and around schools.
- Screening arches considered (only at the request
of schools).
- Crime mapping robbery offences to effectively
target hotspots.
- Safer transport teams patrolling bus routes
around schools.
Here are some of the relevant events happening this term:
We also do a back to school robbery campaign centred around
robbery hotspots based on crime data. Our DMC use paid activity targeting 11-17
year olds which feature on Snapchat, YouTube and posters at bus stop and
transport hub.
As a central team, in October we run the professionalising
youth based policing online conference, as well as
an awards ceremony to recognise the good work of Safer Schools
Officers and Youth Engagement & Diversion Officers across London.