Police sergeant Felicity Cook-Jones has got the perfect answer to improving the relationship between young people and the police.
Police sergeant Felicity Cook-Jones wants to close Constable Danica Hibdige for her work with youth. They are pictured just as the fire engine tow finished. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
“Clone Dani,” she said, referring to Constable Danica Hibdige, who leads Cambridge’s Youth Aid and Blue Light activities and was part of the team that towed a fire engine 1500 metres from Victoria St to Swayne Rd.
Te Awamutu-based Cook-Jones praised Hibdige’s work on the Blue Edge programme at Cambridge High School, calling it “absolutely fantastic”.
The goal for Blue Edge (Education, Development, Growth and Empowerment) is to guide young people towards becoming positive leaders in their communities.
The last hurdle: Blue Edge participants, helped by teachers and fire staff, pull the fire engine into Cambridge High School’s bus bay entrance. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Over seven weeks, with two sessions per week, 20 participants aged 14-18 took part in the youth empowerment programme, which ended with “The Longest Day” on Friday, where students carried out various activities for 12 hours.
The challenge was that it coincided with the day the drought broke in Cambridge.
An emotional Hibdige told The News shortly after they pulled the engine over a speed hump outside the high school and into the bus bay that she was really proud of the youths.
“They’re a good bunch of kids and to see them finish the day was amazing. We had kids at the start that didn’t want to do it, they didn’t want to be here but they all did it.”
Rain fell steadily during the pull, which took 25 minutes, with lots of rope slipping and helping hands from whānau.
“They’re a good bunch of kids and good to see them finish the day. We had kids at the start that didn’t want to do it, they didn’t want to be here. And they all did it.”
We did it: Participants of Blue Edge, including Constable Danica Hibdige and teacher Jeff East, celebrate finishing the fire engine tow. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Fingers crossed, she will be back next year.
“Parents have come up to me and said they’ve seen improvements with their children at home and school. The programme has been bringing out those leaders and some of those kids that had it in them, but they just needed that push to get it out of them.”
Cook-Jones, who led the fire engine pull in a patrol car, said Blue Edge had been well received by the community and the families.
“Dani has done an absolutely fantastic job with this. The support she has got for the programme and the way the kids are and the commentary from the teachers have been fantastic.”
Blue Edge showed the youths a different side of the police, she said.
We did it! Participants of the Blue Edge programme at Cambridge High School finish pulling the fire engine from Victoria St to Swayne Rd. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
“It showed that not every interaction with a blue uniform is going to be a negative one and it’s our leaders like Dani and our PE teachers and stuff who have the capacity to facilitate these changes.”
Developing those relationships means the youths have someone to turn to if something goes wrong.
At a prizegiving afterwards the Blue Edge award went to Gemma James, in recognition of her commitment, attitude, determination and overall performance throughout the programme.
Students were presented with certificates and Blue Edge hoodies.
Some of the participants continued the wet theme in Taupō on Monday at the Bungy Jump.
The Blue Edge Longest Day participants before the Fire Engine tow. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Blue Edge participants, helped by teachers and fire staff, pull the fire engine. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Blue Edge participants, helped by teachers and fire staff, pull the fire engine. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Blue Edge participants, helped by teachers and fire staff, pull the fire engine. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
