Pupils from a Knebworth school were helped by officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Mini Police scheme in their bid to educate drivers on poor parking.

Sixty children from Knebworth Primary took part in the eight-week course to help them police the parking outside their school and educating parents around the dangers of inconsiderate parking.

Co-ordinated by PCSO Stuart Stone from the North Herts Safer Neighbourhood Team and PCSO Neil Carter from the Children and Young People Team, the Year 5 pupils also met officers from the Road Policing Unit, the Dog Unit, the Rural Operational Support Team and the Neighbourhood Team.

“We spent a lot of time planning the lessons which covered the law, how to be a responsible citizen and the consequences of crime and anti-social behaviour, as well as how to stay safe in the cyber world,” said PCSO Carter.

“The pupils have been a real credit to their school by throwing themselves into the activities, particularly the high visibility parking patrols, with the students delivering a powerful message to parents about road safety and the consequences of not adhering to the rules.

“It was really interesting to hear from drivers who said it was more impactive when it was the children speaking to them about their parking.”

As part of the course, pupils also learned about anti-social behaviour, road safety, bullying and cyber safety.

“The pupils also learnt about police equipment and vehicles and took part in drill training,” added PCSO Stone.

“They have really enjoyed the sessions and the feedback has been really positive.

“We hope they take on board advice about how to keep themselves and their property safe and understand the devastating consequences of getting involved in drugs or knife crime. We also hope to see some budding police recruits in the future.”

Mini Police is a fun and interactive programme designed for children aged between nine and 11 across Hertfordshire.

It aims to build trust with communities, promote responsible citizenship and help young people establish an interest and understanding in policing and community safety.