Football tournament held to break down barriers between police and young people
Wed 02 June 2021, 16:32|
Tottenham Hotspur
During the Bank Holiday weekend, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation hosted a unique community football tournament aimed at breaking down barriers between young people and the police.
The Haringey Police Community Cup saw young people from the Youth Justice Service take on the Metropolitan Police and the Police Cadets in seven a-side matches at the Tottenham Community Sports Centre.
The aim of the tournament was to improve community relations between young people and the police and to support police recruitment within the local area.
According to Haringey Council, Haringey has the fifth highest volume of serious youth crimes of all London boroughs.
Tottenham Hotspur Foundation hosted the event with our coaches leading the warm-up session, refereeing the tournament and organising the trophy presentation.
The Youth Justice Service team emerged victorious, winning the final on penalties after a 1-1 draw with the Met Police team.
Young people were also able to speak with the Met Police recruitment team about the potential careers available to them in the service.
One participant commented: “It was a fantastic day meeting new people and bringing the community together. We all felt like winners but well done to the Youth Justice Service team on a well-deserved win. Thank you to Tottenham Hotspur Foundation for putting on a brilliant event.”
Stuart Smillie, Detective Chief Inspector and Met Police team captain, said: “The community football event was a brilliant example of key local organisations coming together to build relationships between the police and young people in our community. Being able to engage directly with young people is what the Met is keen to do and events such as these bring us all together.
“I’d like to thank Tottenham Hotspur Foundation and the young people for making the event such a success. I hope there will be many more to come to improve community relations and work together for a safer Haringey.”
The tournament was held as part of the Foundation’s ongoing work with the Met Police to deliver targeted activities for young people aged 15-19 with a criminal record. The individuals are referred to the Foundation where they receive targeted support to help them make improved life choices, including teaching them effective coping strategies to manage their emotions.
To learn more about what Tottenham Hotspur is delivering on its doorstep, visit our Passionate About Tottenham web page.
