Northumberland College hosts Northumbria Police Initiative

Almost 200 young adults and school children have now taken part in a scheme aimed at showing the devastation caused by knife crime across the region at sessions hosted at both Northumberland and Sunderland College.

Northumbria Police launched the ‘Trainee Detective’ initiative following the death of 18-year-old Connor Brown, who was stabbed five times after an argument outside a Sunderland pub in 2019.

The latest group of teenagers spent a week at Northumberland College’s Kirkley Hall campus in Ponteland where they were taken through each step of the investigation, with the family of Connor also describing how his death changed their lives.

The college boasts an immersive classroom with wraparound wall and floor projection creating shared virtual reality environments for students. The Immersive Space transported the participants into a real-world setting of a virtually recreated crime scene where they could examine evidence.

The week-long programme has been a huge success in recent years, outlining for 180 school children the seriousness of weapon-based violence and the huge negative impact it can have on communities through interactive sessions.

The project was initiated by Northumbria Police and is supported by Education Partnership North East, Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit, Barnabas Green – a Consultant Vascular Surgeon at The James Cook University Hospital and his medical team – as well as local magistrates. It has received funding contributions from Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth.

Chief Inspector Angela Hewitt, of Northumbria Police’s dedicated Prevention department, said: “This is the ninth Trainee Detective programme since we started in April 2024 and it’s been another fantastic week working alongside young people as part of what is such an important project.

“They have engaged fully with everything put to them and shown genuine enthusiasm and passion towards the subject matter. We hope that from taking the time to complete the programme they will be able to share with their peers about why arming yourself with a weapon is never, ever the right decision.

“We’re already looking forward to the 10th programme week, which is scheduled for July.”

She added: “Once again we’d like to thank Connor’s family for their unwavering support towards the programme. Without them, it would not have the incredible and lasting impact it has on those who take part.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth said: “Knife crime impacts everyone. It brings real and devastating consequences and has no place in our communities, which is why I will continue to ensure prevention remains a key priority.

“Education plays a really important role in helping young people understand the realities of serious violence in a safe and meaningful way – and the Trainee Detective Programme is a great example of this in action.”

Vikkie Morton, Vice Principal for Student Life and Stronger Communities at Education Partnership North East, said: “We’re once again proud to co-deliver the award-winning Trainee Detective programme alongside Northumbria Police, the Violence Reduction Unit, University Hospitals Tees and the Connor Brown Trust, and to welcome young people to Northumberland College’s Kirkley Hall Campus for such an important week.

“It’s so important to raise awareness of knife crime, and this programme shows the real impact it can have on people, families and whole communities. By working through a real case in our immersive suite and hearing from those affected, it really sticks with them.”