Stickers, Police Horses, Inspiring Commissioner and a Spectacularly Broken Umbrella

 

This weekend, we took our five year old Fred and our sixteen year old daughter Amelie along to the South Wales Police Family Fun Day at Police Headquarters in Bridgend. Despite the rain, we had such a brilliant time. The weather certainly tried its best to dampen our enthusiasm, but it did not succeed although my umbrella gave up the fight quite spectacularly and ended the day in several pieces!

From the moment we arrived, there was so much to see and do. Fred quickly discovered that stickers were available at the different stands, so collecting as many as possible became a very important mission, as well as sweets and other freebies. He loved dressing up as a police officer, handcuffing his sister, trying his hand at the Nerf shooting range and looking at the impressive equipment on display. The very large guns were particularly fascinating to him, although perhaps slightly less reassuring for his mother!

We enjoyed seeing the police animals in action, including the dogs and the beautiful police horses. It was lovely to watch them working and to learn a little more about the important roles they play. We also explored the different stands, looked at the scuba tank used by the diving team and learned about some of the specialist areas of policing that we do not often get to see.

One of the most interesting parts of the day was the facial-recognition area. With Amelie now 17 and interested in criminology, it prompted some really thoughtful conversations about technology, public safety and how policing is changing. We also had our fingerprints and footprints taken and posed for our own mug shots. Thankfully, we were released without charge and allowed to continue collecting stickers.

It was also really lovely to speak to the team from TARIAN. I worked with them last year on a project about romance scams, so it was wonderful to see them again and hear more about the work they are doing. We also had some interesting conversations about the five-year plan for young people, integration policies and the importance of women being represented in senior roles, including the role of the commissioner.

What struck me most was the sheer variety of the day. There was something to interest every age group: animals, equipment, technology, specialist teams, activities and plenty of opportunities to ask questions. Fred came away delighted with his collection of stickers and his brief experience of life as a police officer, his favourite having been the house search where he got to use a baton to beat the bad guy. Amelie enjoyed exploring the more serious and thought-provoking aspects of the event, while I came home with plenty to reflect on, and having Emma Wool as police commissioner is outstanding as well as inspiring. Not forgetting one umbrella destined for the bin.

The husband was drawn to the rescue tools and the heavy vehicles, and the historical uniforms, weapons and handcuffs. 

A big thank you to South Wales Police and everyone involved in organising such a welcoming, informative and genuinely fun family day. The rain did not spoil it in the slightest. In fact, the dramatic demise of my umbrella may have made it even more memorable.