#CountyLines #Racism #Education
Yesterday was at a rail stn in Herts. YP who had arrived by train from London was being talked to by 5 Police officers and suspected of drug supply. Police were very courteous, repeatedly asking if he felt at risk, was being threatened, needed help
Yesterday was at a rail stn in Herts. YP who had arrived by train from London was being talked to by 5 Police officers and suspected of drug supply. Police were very courteous, repeatedly asking if he felt at risk, was being threatened, needed help
Transpired his brother was fatally stabbed in London some time previously. Young police officers chatted to him for a while, very sympathetically whilst continuously asking and offering, further support. YP was then asked to get back on a train to London, which he agreed to do...
Went to buy my ticket and could hear a commotion behind. A lady ticket officer had come from behind the counter to tell anyone that wanted to know that the YP was not a kid, that the police had just being talking to him as he was a drug dealer and to make sure he bought a ticket
The YP left the ticket hall and went outside. He was talking to the remaining Police officer and saying he didn't have the money to get back. I offered to buy him a ticket. He very humbly accepted. Next comes the important part...
I went back in to the ticket office and asked to buy him a ticket to Hammersmith. Same lady as before proceeded to ask what was I doing? I said buying him a ticket. She said why and made a series of disparaging remarks about him. I said you don't know him or his circumstances...
He's not poor look at his trainers. He suspected of dealing drugs! My children wouldn't do that! Where are his parents? He should know better....we discussed it for a few mins. Told her she needed to understand what was going on in society with some vulnerable YP...
where the trainers may have come from, that his parents may not be around, that he may have had no choice...then left her to it. Chatted to the young person and pointed him to a few orgs he could reach out to and asked if he could try to find trusted adults in his community
Also found out he had been excluded from school at 12 and lives with his mum.
Based on the reports today @NCA_UK about #CountyLines one thing we need to do is ensure that people who are customer facing in train stations up and down this country, understand it!
Based on the reports today @NCA_UK about #CountyLines one thing we need to do is ensure that people who are customer facing in train stations up and down this country, understand it!
If that is the preferred means of travel, these station staff could add considerably to the intervention. Understanding through awareness training what some of these kids are experiencing, being prepared to see another possibility and removing prejudice, would be a big help
I have no idea if this happens. I do know that @ukhomeoffice produced County Lines posters for train and rail operators but not one was on display in the station. In fact as I think about it, I don't remember seeing one anywhere!🤔
There really does need to be a very visible national campaign around this issue. Too many people remain totally unaware. Too many areas of society are dragging their feet or don't want to acknowledge it affects them, their town or school.
I can't claim to know the whole truth of this YP's background, but I can say with certainty, that factors such as trauma and school exclusion, dramatically increase the chances of exploitation. I can also say some in society need to wake up to the evolving nature of crime UK2020
