Swap stickers to help force show children its face

Children have long haggled over "swaps" of stickers featuring their favourite footballer or film character. But soon playgrounds in Devon may be filled with children poring over sticker albums containing images of their local police officers.

Photographs of officers have been turned into stickers that can be collected in albums being handed out to schools. The stickers reflect the force's hierarchy, with the chief constable, Stephen Otter, featured on a special gold sticker while more junior staff are on silver and bronze.



To win a sticker children aged seven to 11 are being asked to approach police officers, community support officers or special constables. The officer will ask the child a question about crime or safety and hand over a sticker if they answer correctly.

More than 800 albums are being handed out to primary schools in Brixham and Newton Abbot. Each town has a set of 30 stickers, half of which feature photographs of local officers. The others show pictures of unnamed officers from specialist departments such as the dog and firearms units. Children have until January to fill their albums, after which they must take them to a police station, complete them with a fingerprint and enter a prize draw. The prize is a trip to the force's Exeter headquarters.

More here.