PC Martin Hudd: On the beat in Bristol

Children have been the main focus of our policing duties this week, due to a planned operation which had taken place in the Bristol East area.

On Thursday, officers from Fishponds police station engaged in Operation Stay Safe, which is a multi-agency approach to address children out on the streets between 6pm and 1am the following morning, who are either deemed to be vulnerable due to their age or vulnerable due to the circumstances in which they are found.

A team of beat managers assisted by their police community support colleagues were out on patrol in the Hillfields and Speedwell area and it didn't take long before we quickly found a young 12-year-old lad who, in company with older boys, had sustained a small injury to his knee - not in itself a major issue but when we spoke to this young lad he began to use terminology associated with knives and knife crimes stating that he had been "shanked", a term which means stabbed. Although this wasn't the case, we felt he was vulnerable and therefore took him to a place of safety set up nearby.

On arrival he was spoken to by a more senior police officer, members of the youth service and social services, whilst a responsible adult came to collect him.

Moments later, officers came across two 13-year-old girls in possession of alcohol and although mum was nearby and explained the children had "escaped" from a nearby house party being supervised by adults, their details were obtained and social services informed.

As the evening drew to a close we had time to deal with a 12-year-old female walking around the streets on her own - it also transpired there was an arrest warrant out for her so this was dealt with before she was taken home and her mother spoken to.

Is this a cost effective use of taxpayers' money?

Well, this is the first time I have been involved in this type of operation and I would say yes, the reason being that it not only protects vulnerable children, it also brings to their parents' attention what their children are getting up to when they are out with mates.

Even more importantly it puts the spotlight on the parents who think "out of sight, is out of mind" in that the police will not hesitate to involve outside agencies to address what in some cases can only be described as neglect when these children are found roaming the streets.

We went off-duty encouraged that, at least for a short time, young children on these two estates had been cared for and looked after, and their parents made aware of their own parental responsibilities, which unless adhered to will be followed up by the other agencies involved.