'Cop Cards' and sticker album win PR award

Dave Casley, left, with Reuben Millard, designer

Brixham, Devon, police have won a major award for their ‘Cop Card’ community relations initiative. The scheme encourages children to get to know their local police officers.

The cards and sticker albums were designed to encourage young people to get to know their neighbourhood policing team and improve their confidence in the police.

Cards were produced showing individual police officers in the Brixham neighbourhood team, as well as the helicopter, police car, police dog and other police equipment. The scheme was totally funded by local sponsorship.

At the launch of the scheme last October, children between seven and 11 years were given free sticker card albums and encouraged to collect all the cards by approaching officers and asking for their card to add to their collection. Once the sticker books were complete, the children took them to the Brixham police station enquiry office to have their fingerprint taken. Their name and address was entered into a draw and the three lucky winners were treated to a VIP tour of police headquarters in April 2008.

The award was given by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) at the annual regional PRide awards on Friday 7 November 2008.

Brixham Neighbourhood Sergeant Dave Casley, who came up with the idea said: “When we consulted with the children after the initiative had finished, we found many more young people had spoken to police officers and knew what neighbourhood beat manager (NBM) and police community support officer (PCSO) meant.” Reuben Millard designed the cards and album.

Following the success of the Cop Card initiative, other forces are now piloting similar schemes. The Brixham neighbourhood team hopes to repeat the scheme next October.