Hetton Academy students become trainee detectives as part of Northumbria Police’s inspiring new project on the dangers of knife crime.
Students at Hetton Academy have taken part in an inspiring, immersive project aimed at teaching the next generation about the consequences of knife crime, following the murder of Sunderland teenager Connor Brown.
Connor was only 18 years older when he was tragically stabbed and killed in Sunderland city centre on the 24th February 2019. Five years on from his death, Northumbria Police, with the support of the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU), the Connor Brown Trust and Education Partnership North East, have set up the Trainee Detective Programme, a state-of-the-art programme aimed at warning young people about the dangers of knife crime.
17 students from Hetton Academy, aged 11 to 14, attended the innovative week-long programme at Sunderland College’s Bede Campus. Students were challenged to solve the case after being taken through each step of the Northumbria Police investigation. Using the college’s advanced 360 immersive technology and virtual reality ‘igloo’ in the Innovation Space, our conscientious students were able to walk through the crime scene and experience the custody suite to evaluate the evidence.
The trainee detectives also received the expert medical testimony about Connor’s injuries and the attempts to save his life, before paying a visit to Sunderland Magistrates’ Court to experience the process of a trial. Students were also visited by Connor’s parents, Tanya and Simon, who delivered a workshop on the impact of knife crime and the work they were doing in the community in Connor’s memory.
The Trainee Detective Programme is just one of the ways in which Northumbria Police are tackling knife crime to prevent further tragedies, through educating and raising awareness with young children on the risks of knife crime and the devastating ramifications for their friends, family and the wider community.
Our trainee detectives found the experience to be incredibly eye-opening, captivating and impactful. The Trainee Detective Programme is a fantastic project and we would like to thank Connor’s parents, Northumbria Police and their partner organisation for the opportunity to participate in such an important and innovative project.
To learn more about Connor’s story please visit: https://connorbrowntrust.com/