TEENAGERS have taken up their new posts as volunteer police cadets as part of a new scheme in County Durham.

The 16 new recruits were welcomed to Durham Police at a presentation evening at Polam Hall School, in Darlington, where they were addressed by senior police officers, including Chief Superintendent Graham Hall.

Organised by the Durham Agency Against Crime (DAAC), the scheme is being trialled in Darlington and will be replicated in Durham later this year.

If successful it could be rolled out across the force area.

Chief Supt Graham Hall said: “We want more and more young people to engage with the police and we feel this is a fantastic opportunity for us to engage with them.

“It is an excellent opportunity, especially if they want to pursue a career in policing and is a great foundation for them.”

The uniformed cadets from the Darlington area, aged between 13 and 17, will now begin a three-year programme which will include weekly educational workshops covering a number of subjects including law, general policing and citizenship.

They will also get the chance to get involved with community policing and local problem-solving, such as crime prevention and assisting with public safety events, as well as working towards a City and Guilds qualification and their Duke of Edinburgh award.

The scheme has also won the backing of Ron Hogg, police and crime commissioner for County Durham, who said: “I am delighted to be involved in this because I am of the feeling that we need to celebrate young people and what they achieve, and we should work with them to bring out the best in them.”

They will be mentored by a number of police officers and will also undergo regular fitness tests and team-building exercises.

For more information visit daac.org.uk