Pinkney: Officers are here to protect the vulnerable, including children

National Policing Lead for Children and Young People, Deputy Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney, said: 

“Analysis, scrutiny and challenge are healthy and necessary things for the police service to face, and I welcome today’s report and recommendations by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Children (APPGC). I am very heartened by the fact that the APPGC has taken considerable time and effort in looking at this important area of children and young people’s lives. 

“It is important to state that the police take very seriously their responsibilities in relation to children who interact with them, and figures released by the Office for National Statistics indicate that 90% of young people believe that the police will deal with them fairly. However, we must also acknowledge and address the findings that the APPGC have reached in what is a very detailed and balanced report which deserves equally detailed and balanced consideration. 

“We take our interaction with children and young people very seriously and, while there are no shocks in the report, I am concerned about the inconsistency of these interactions across the country and the negative feedback given by many of the young people that the group spoke to. However, I am very pleased to see that the group has pieced together a comprehensive set of recommendations based not only on that evidence, but also the evidence of other interested parties and the police service itself, which has contributed a lot of material. 

“There is a challenge to be faced by officers who, as enforcers of the law, will not always be popular when having to deal with young people, but  officers are here to protect the vulnerable and young people are vulnerable due to their age. So it is important that they focus on ensuring that the needs of children are met. For instance, when children have been subjected to trauma in any environment, we must consider how this will manifest itself when they come to interacting with the police. This recognition of vulnerability and other issues of training and practice will be examined closely with a view to positive change. 

“Chief officers and the College of Policing will work with the Youth Justice Board and other partners to consider the report’s recommendations. I look forward to leading the changes we believe will best serve the needs of those young people who, for whatever reason come into contact with us.