AS a school-based officer Bhupendra Patel has a unique community role with the West Midlands Police force.

Every day he engages with up to 1,200 pupils at Grace Academy in Chelmsley Wood, and it’s an important role aimed at helping change negative attitudes towards life and communities into a more positive outlook that benefits everyone.

PC Patel said: “I work in a socially deprived community which suffers from negative social impacts resulting in individuals having to take challenging roles on at a young age.

“I work in partnership to address these issues, provide help, support and positive intervention as well as a point of contact, reassurance and a friendly and familiar face whom they recognise as Pc Patel.”

A tag rugby programme for feeder schools and an extended school programme at Grace Academy for “more challenging and vulnerable students”, which provides activities like basketball and a Chill Out Club, are just some of the ways Pc Patel is working with the school and other agencies to help achieve this positive goal.