A new initiative involving knitted teddies is being launched by Dorset Police. These furry additions to the force go by the name of 'Bobby Buddies.'

These teddy bears will travel in patrol cars doing good by soothing distressed children during worrying times.

This will not only allow children to feel comforted, but it also might ease the pressure on parents or carers by knowing that a loved one has something to take their minds off of the difficult situation.

The police are summoning knitting lovers to create these cuddly toys. But will these teddies do more than calming children?

The new additions to the force could perhaps make police officers seem less scary. Some of us can at times forget that the police are there to safeguard our lives and look after the community as well as prevent crime.

By having these cute and cuddly bears patrolling around with the officers, it may make them seem more approachable and allow the public to trust them more as well as permitting people to have a closer connection to the police.

These teddies could also represent the police working together with the public to help distraught children. It could make the officers seem more relatable and people that the public can trust rather than something some may perhaps shy away from.

The police constable said: “I hope that this initiative will enable us to work closely with the volunteers who knit the buddies. Our aim is to encourage positive interaction with young people, assisting them at difficult times, or just helping them realise that police officers are there to help them and are approachable, and not people to be scared of.”

So the next time you see a 'panda' car keep your eyes out for a bobby buddy on the beat!

By Emily Montgomery