THEY are on the streets and making a difference.

The first graduates from Hampshire Police cadets academy took on their inaugural patrols, and as this paper reports today, their efforts were well received by the community.

This is not surprising. The cadets scheme is a good idea on many levels.

Certainly the image of young people taking a responsible role in the community makes a lie of the theory that youngsters are usually a cause of trouble. On the whole the opposite is the truth to that myth.

Introducing the cadets to the community works well too on many levels. Young people learning how to interact with residents will do no harm in preparing them for a responsible role in society as they grow older. And in a very practical sense, using the cadets to help advise residents when they are at risk of crime is a good deed that bears instant results.

There is also a further plus from this scheme. Youngsters who have become cadets will speak with friends and peers and hopefully such high-minded citizenship will rub off, at least in spirit.

The scheme is a win-win idea, and full marks to Hampshire Police for pioneering its development.