Wiltshire Police says it will be working with the county's youngsters this month, trying to connect with young people to make sure the force provides them with the best service it can and helps protect them from the effects of crime.

As part of the campaign, it is inviting youngsters to tweet questions to the chief constable, to enter a writing competition and to meet officers at the Wiltshire Youth Summit on February 8.

Youth engagement and development Sergeant Steve McGlynn said: “The Youth Engagement Team’s primary aim is to educate Wiltshire’s children and young people on matters which most affect them, and to work with Community Policing Teams on the delivery of lessons in primary and secondary schools.

“We identify good practice within local teams when working with young people and ensure these methods are passed on to the rest of Wiltshire Police, ensuring that the force provides a positive and supportive service to our young people and works against negative stereotypes.

“We are continuing to look at the best ways of communicating with young people – whether it be social media, face-to-face, local media or community messaging – and we’d love some feedback to hear what we could do better to improve engagement.”

Throughout the year, Wiltshire Police runs a number of events aimed at young people including the Junior Good Citizen scheme, as well as supporting police cadets.

The Wiltshire Youth Summit will include a workshop for young people to give them an insight into the challenges of policing the county.

ACC Keir Pritchard will also participate in an open Q&A session.

Among the things officers hope young people will discuss with them are:

  • What do young people feel about the police? Are they confident they know how and when to call for help? l Would they consider a career with the police – if not, then why?
  • What can Wiltshire Police do to improve the way it works with young people?

Schools are being to be asked to put questions to Chief Constable Mike Veale all month, using the hashtag #AskTheChief - and he is promising to answer some, iof not all, of the queries.

Mr Veale said: “In recent weeks I have received a number of letters and emails from members of the public praising the work of the cadets and our youth engagement team. Having started my policing career as a cadet myself, it is so important to me that we continue to engage with young people.

"The cadet scheme is a fantastic way for young people wishing to embark on a career in policing to get a real taste of what the job is like. I remember feeling so honoured to be a police cadet and it truly had such a positive impact on me.

"I am really proud of the ongoing work with our young people here at Wiltshire Police and I am looking forward to hearing from many students throughout February. Whether you want to ask about careers in policing, or have concerns about particular crimes, please get in touch on Twitter and I will do my best to respond.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson said: “It is important that we have a police force that meets the needs of all members of the public including young people.

“We need to do all we can to prepare our young people for life in the wider sense. The Wiltshire Police Youth Engagement team offers guidance and education to young people, to help them protect themselves against crime, make wise choices, understand the risks of becoming involved in crime, but overall to keep them safe.

“Children and young people are accessing police services, so it is important that these services also reflect their needs. Talking and consulting with young people continues to be important to ensure, that, not only are they receiving key crime prevention and safety messages, we support and empower them to make those wise choices, through access to information, an approachable service and positive interactions with the force.

"Working together with young people, we can shape a police service that young people will engage with and feel they can ask for help when needed.

“I always welcome feedback from young people and look forward to hearing more views and feedback throughout February. I hope young people will take this opportunity to get involved, to ask questions and have their say."

Follow the Wiltshire Police Youth Engagement Team on Twitter @WiltsPolYouth or on YouTube at Wiltshire Police – Youth Engagement Team.