Creating opportunities as a Cadet Leader

PC Skye Feasey has been making a difference in her local community through her role as a cadet leader. Since joining TVP three years ago she has been instrumental in shaping the experiences of young police cadets. From teaching them about police procedures to fostering their confidence. In this Q&A, we delve into her journey, the impact of the cadet program, and why volunteering as a leader is both rewarding and enlightening.

How long have you been with TVP, and how long have you been volunteering?

I joined TVP around October 2021 as a cadet leader, before starting my training as a Police Constable in July 2022.

How did you first get involved with the cadets?

When applying to be a PC I saw the advert for a cadet leader. I had no previous policing experience so I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to get some background knowledge before training started. I also loved the idea of teaching young people and being out in the community.

What do young people get out of cadets, and how does your role as a leader facilitate this?

The main purpose of cadets is to show young people the wide variety of what we do as a police force. It brings together children with all different backgrounds and puts a positive light on police. It also brings more of a presence to the community, attending events such as Remembrance Day parades and running stalls. The cadets get a chance to be in a police station, talking to lots of different departments as well as discover what it’s like representing the force in the wider community.

What does a typical cadet session look like?

Cadets run during school term time, and we follow a different topic each term – ranging from PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act), to missing people, to equality and diversity. Usually a session starts with stories from their week, followed by a bit of drill to keep the discipline aspect. Each session is then different, but we try to be as practical as possible.

We’ve previously set up a burglary scene with fingerprints, footprints and money for them to find. We have done fake house searches, stop and search using “go wisely” and even a bit of OST (Officer Safety Training)!

How have you seen the young people in your group progress/develop in your time as a cadet leader?

It has been amazing to see all of the cadets grow in knowledge and experience. The main skill they grow is definitely their confidence! They go from being timid and shy to being outgoing and happy to talk to the public. You also get to see some amazing friendships blossom from cadets which is so lovely to watch as they form and grow.

What is the best part of being a volunteer cadet leader?

I love that I get to meet people I wouldn’t normally meet on the job day-to-day and see parts of the force that I wouldn’t normally have access to as an ICR officer. I also get a real sense of pride for the cadets.

What do you get personally from volunteering?

I feel I get more experience and knowledge from being able to teach the cadets different parts of the job. You get to know the cadets as people and you form a tight knit group.

Why should someone volunteer as a cadet leader?

There are a lot of perks and variety to being a cadet leader, including going on trips and seeing parts of the force you wouldn’t normally see. The main reason to join though is how rewarding the role is. I’d strongly encourage anyone to give it a go!

If you’ve been inspired to volunteer your time with Thames Valley Police, you can find our current opportunities at our vacancies portal – or to learn more about volunteering with TVP visit our Volunteers page. You can also find more information about joining the cadets on our Cadets webpage.

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