Two teams have been praised by Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone for the positive impact they are having on young people across the county.
The Missing Person’s Investigation Unit has been commended by the Commissioner for its work delivering the award-winning Op Satin project – which sees specialist Early Intervention workers from Danielle’s office work alongside colleagues in Northamptonshire Police to support young people who go missing from home.
Op Satin focuses on young people who have been missing fewer than three times. As soon as they return home, they are met by specialist workers who provide tailored support to understand why they went missing and address the root causes to prevent repeat episodes.
Members of the team were presented with certificates by Danielle, who listened to them discuss their work and praised their dedication to helping young people.
Danielle also presented certificates to members of the Youth Violence Intervention Unit (YVIU) for their commitment to supporting children who have been impacted by youth violence and exploitation.
Members of the YVIU, which is a joint unit with Northamptonshire Police, intervene at an early stage once young people have been identified as being, or at risk of being, criminally exploited.
Early Intervention Officers support young people to make and achieve positive change to steer them away from criminality and reduce risks of harm. They also help young people understand the risk of carrying knives and teach them to understand and recognise the signs of grooming and exploitation.
Danielle said: “Every day I see the incredible work my staff do to intervene early and offer children a better and safer path.
“Op Satin has reduced demand on policing by preventing repeat episodes of young people going missing. That is because they feel listened to when they engage with us, which is helping to reduce risk and lead to safer outcomes for young people and their families.
“Our Youth Violence Intervention Unit practitioners work hard to build trust with children and their families, manage their emotions and stop things from escalating.
“Keeping young people safe is a priority for me and a key part of achieving it is delivering prevention work alongside our partners and intervening at the right time.
“I was impressed to hear from both teams about the positive impact they are having on young people across Northamptonshire, and their work is well deserving of recognition.”
