Report by Edge Hill University students highlights lack of trust in Police

STUDENTS from Edge Hill University have provided evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on policing priorities at a time when public confidence in the Police is low.

The report, created by students from Edge Hill's Politics Lab, surveyed over 100 young people, aged:- 18 to 30, about their perceptions of the Police force and what they think the Police should prioritise.

They found that 72% of young people do not believe in the Police anymore and 73% believe that the Police force does not hold itself accountable nor does it implement correct disciplinary measures.

Many respondents commented that their trust in the Police has been eroded by high profile cases of serving officers like David Carrick and Wayne Cousins committing serious violent crimes against women.

The findings highlighted a number of ways the Police can restore trust, including tougher screening for new recruits, being more transparent in how cases are dealt with, hiring more women and providing more training on preventing abuse and misogyny.

Second year BA (Hons) History and Politics student Lewis Melville said:- "The data we collected highlights how young people, particularly women, feel unsafe around the members of the Police force. The new metropolitan commissioner clearly has a long way to go to restore trust in the wider community."

Second Year BA (Hons) Politics and Criminology student Katie Taylor said:- "It is clear that students want change in the way the Police force is run. We want to be able to trust them, which I hope we were able to highlight through our document."

Programme Leader for Politics Paula Keaveney said:- "At Edge Hill, we're keen to give our politics students real-world experience of influencing policy and conducting original research. The policing priorities report they have produced for the Select Committee focuses on the views of young people and clearly shows that trust has been damaged by the repeated scandals reported in the news."

The Select Committee chose to launch the policing priorities inquiry at a time when public confidence in the Police is low. The Metropolitan Police Service, the country's largest, is in special measures and so are 5 more forces in England including:- Greater Manchester, Cleveland, Gloucestershire, Staffordshire and Wiltshire.

The report also noted that the perceived focus of the Police is anti social behaviour, something reflected in calls from Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner who believes that increasing the number of officers on the streets will increase trust in the Police.

However, young survey respondents believe that the Police need to change their focus away from anti-social behaviour and towards victim-based crimes like physical, sexual or verbal attacks and listening to the needs of local communities, especially disadvantaged or minority groups.

Second Year BA (Hons) Politics and Sociology student Alexander Woodhead said:- "It's clear that young people want a more connected Police force in their community. 1 that reflects more contemporary values and changes in safeguarding practices and hiring policy needs to be made for this to occur."

The full report can be read on the UK Parliamentary Committee website. The inquiry is ongoing and will lead to recommendations for the Government and the Police, click here to find out more.

To discover more about courses at Edge Hill University, please visit:- EHU.AC.UK/Study.
 

Hugh Baird College and Howdens Bootle Join Forces to Provide World-Class Opportunities for Students

HUGH Baird College is pleased to announce a new partnership with leading kitchen supplier Howdens. The collaboration will offer students at the College the opportunity to receive hands-on training and work experience with a reputable and successful company.

As part of the partnership, Howdens Bootle will provide expert training to students studying the College's carpentry and joinery courses. This will give students a chance to gain valuable skills and knowledge that will set them up for success in their future careers.

The kitchen supplier will be donating supplies such as flatpack kitchens, worktops and doors to the College on an annual basis to assist students with their practical sessions.

Several students will have the opportunity to complete in-house training with tradespeople at the Bootle depot, providing them with real-world experience and a chance to apply their trade in an external setting. In addition, the students will be able to access discounts on materials available from the supplier.

Hugh Baird College Director of Professional Construction and Trades, Paula Waltmaier, said:- "We are thrilled to be partnering with Howdens Bootle. This collaboration will offer our students top-quality training from a leading industry player, and we are confident it will be a valuable addition to their education."

Adam Roberts, Lead Representative from Howdens, added:- "We are excited to work with Hugh Baird College to provide training and valuable experiences for their students. At Howdens Bootle, we are committed to supporting the next generation of skilled tradespeople, and this partnership allows us to do just that. We look forward to seeing the talented students from Hugh Baird College go on to successful careers in the carpentry and joinery industry."

For more information about Hugh Baird College Carpentry and Joinery courses, visit:- HughBaird.AC.UK.

For more information about Howdens, visit:- Howdens.Com.