Junior detectives tackle knife crime in Bradford schools

Staff from Bradford Royal Infirmary's (BRI) emergency department are part of the initiative, which sees students from across the district become 'junior detectives'. 

The project aims to prevent knife crime by equipping students with the knowledge to act as 'anti-knife crime champions' in their schools and communities.

The initiative, which has been successfully implemented in Leeds, was launched across the city at the start of October.

It is led by specialist officers from West Yorkshire Police's Integrated Offender Management 6th Prison Hub Team and supported by Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's emergency department trauma team, St Giles Trust, Bradford City Football Club, and the Law Courts.

The week-long Junior Detective Programme sees students from three schools in the district, Titus Salts School, Oasis Academy, and Tong Leadership Academy, aged 13 to 14, take on the role of detectives investigating a serious knife-related offence.

This fictional scenario is designed to raise students' awareness of the consequences of serious youth violence and criminal exploitation linked to gangs.

The project also includes input from police officers, the emergency department team, and other speakers with lived experience of gang and knife crime.

The week saw 14 Year eight students, aged 13 to 14, from Titus Salts School, Oasis Academy and Tong Leadership Academy put through their paces (Image: Supplied)

Dr Jill Stewart, consultant in the emergency department and the BRI's trauma lead, said: "Participating in this course was a positive step as the team had to act preventatively as nobody wins in knife crime.

"It's a lose-lose situation because if you carry a knife and stab someone, that person could very well end up dead, so you are consigning yourself to a life of misery in prison.

"A second's madness and you've ruined your life, your family's life and another family's life.

"It's just not worth it."

The students also experienced a virtual hospital admittance and witnessed the team running through what happens when a stabbing victim is brought to the emergency department.

They also viewed a virtual anatomy dissection table with a life-size 3D, high-definition CT scan of the patient's veins and gastrointestinal systems.

Dr Stewart said: "Students saw visually where all the organs and blood vessels are, to show that there is 'no safe place to stab'."

The project was given the use of facilities at the University of Bradford for the week and ended with a visit to Bradford Crown Court where students witnessed 'the case' being heard in front of Judge Jonathan Rose.

The initiative concluded with a celebration event where the first group of students were officially awarded anti-knife crime champions status.