A popular police community support officer (PCSO), who dedicated a decade to bridging the gap between Sudbury children and those in uniform, hopes his legacy will inspire others to take up the mantle.
Grant Skeggs spoke of the importance of engaging with and providing positive role models for young people, after stepping down as PCSO for the town.
Over the last 10 years he became a familiar face across the community, particularly within local schools, and helped to set up the One Stop Cop campaign to engage with youngsters countywide.
Mr Skeggs, who previously had careers in estate agency and banking before joining the police aged 39, said it was a ‘really tough decision’ to step away, moving into a role within the Suffolk Constabulary control room.
But he hopes to continue influencing ways for police to positively engage with young people, if the right role emerges in future, and believes other ‘enthusiastic officers’ are ready to carry this forward.
“I would say it has been one of the best roles I’ve ever had,” he said.
“I’ve dedicated my 10 years to supporting young people and trying to bridge the gap between them and the police.
“Nobody asked me to do that, but the beauty of being a PCSO is it gives you the opportunity to follow these passions.
“Obviously you’ve got the day job, but I took the path of getting into schools and trying to build that relationship, because I think it’s essential for future generations.
“This way, people don’t always see police in a negative way. I think it’s important children have positive role models.
“I always had a saying when speaking to parents: we all hope our children don’t have to call police, but if they do need to, they should feel comfortable to do so.
“I’m very much an old-school salesperson, so I always wanted to find something in common because, in a way, I’m selling the police.
“People have lots of ideas about the police, but I want to help give a positive impression.”
The nature of his role meant Mr Skeggs had to engage with young people in difficult circumstances – notably last year he spoke to school pupils about knife crime, following the fatal stabbing of teenager Harley Barfield.
He described the case as the toughest he had dealt with, but said it was an honour to have been entrusted with the support role.
Mr Skeggs said police officers had an opportunity to positively engage with children even in negative situations, such as when they may have been a victim of a crime.
For these instances, he has pushed for all police officers to carry stickers, suggesting something as simple as this was a great way to break down barriers with children.
“I’m not saying the sticker will make everything alright, but it will help engage, bring that barrier down and maybe the young person will open up a bit more,” said Mr Skeggs.
“My vision is about fulfilling every opportunity that you see a young person to engage with them. The more they see police, the more they see beyond the uniform and see other human beings.”
Mr Skeggs said he would miss the community connection, but recalled interactions that showed he had made a lasting impact.
He cited a moment on his final day as PCSO, when he was recognised outside a school by a pupil he had previously spoken to on a house call about staying safe.
“I liked that, at the end, the last thing I did in the community was someone remembering me,” he said.
“My highlight is building relationships with young people in the area. I’d like to think it’s something that others can now take forward.”
