Devon & Cornwall Police Celebrate Achievements of Volunteer Cadets

Devon & Cornwall Police honours young volunteers ahead of National Volunteers Week

Over 100 Volunteer Police Cadets and 30 Cadet Leaders from across Devon and Cornwall were honoured at a special celebration event held at police headquarters in Middlemoor last week.

The event, held on Wednesday 28th May, recognised the commitment of young people aged 13 to 17 who volunteer their time to support policing and help keep communities safe.

Units from across the region recognised

Cadets from Camborne, St Austell, Launceston, Plympton, Plymouth (Crownhill), Newton Abbot, Torbay, Exeter, Mid Devon and Barnstaple attended the event, supported by 30 volunteer Cadet Leaders who help run the units and oversee their involvement in community projects.

Deputy Chief Constable Dave Thorne and Assistant Chief Officer Alexis Poole welcomed the cadets and thanked them for their efforts. Both highlighted the value of the cadet programme and the wide range of contributions the cadets make to the force.

A year of action and support

Over the past year, cadets have been involved in a variety of policing and community engagement work. This has included test purchasing operations, crime prevention leaflet drops, supporting Community Speed Watch teams and organising first aid training for young people. They have also been a regular presence at community events.

Katie Kwidzinski, Strategic Lead for Devon & Cornwall Police Cadets, said:

“The day was all about celebrating our amazing Volunteer Police Cadets, aged 13–17, and all that they contribute to our organisation and their communities.

“The cadets support the force with social action, community engagement, supporting neighbourhood policing, sharing important personal safety messaging and advocating for other children and young people.

“Operational teams and police staff dedicated time and resources to celebrate the Cadets and provide them with important information and insights into a variety of careers in policing.

“It was an amazing day that left us all feeling very proud of our cadets and our incredible Volunteer Cadet Leaders.”

A day to remember

As part of the celebration, the cadets watched demonstrations from General Purpose Police Dog Gus and Explosives Search Dog Lulu. They also learned about police drone technology and had their photo taken from above.

The cadets shared their experiences and suggestions at the ‘Youth Voice Corner’ and took part in a team-building competition before receiving a surprise visit from the National Police Air Service. The helicopter crew explained their role in supporting operations, especially during high-risk missing person cases.

Cadet scheme still growing

Devon and Cornwall Police currently has more than 450 Volunteer Police Cadets across 12 active units, with plans to reopen the Bodmin unit later this year.

Young people aged 13 to 18 who are interested in becoming a Volunteer Police Cadet can find more information on the Volunteer Police Cadet website.