University News Last updated 09 December 2011
The School of Social Sciences at Birmingham City University has forged a new relationship with the West Midlands Police Learning and Development Resource Centre, to support detective training and police interviewing skills.
Students from the BSc (Hons) Criminal Investigation course were invited to attend the training centre in Edgbaston earlier this year and have since returned twice more, with an ever increasing number of volunteers.
The volunteers were asked to play the role of the suspect and were interviewed extensively by the trainee investigators, allowing them to see how a suspect interview is carried out and managed. After this, debriefing sessions for the interviews were held to give the trainee investigators and students feedback for their learning.
The opportunity to attend these sessions is invaluable for the students as it allows them to develop essential skills, putting them one step ahead when they finish university.
Course director, Nick Howe said: “This opportunity is fantastic for the students as it allows them to get a real insight to police life. Not only this, but it allows them to network with members of the force.
“This venture is one of the many things we are doing to improve the employability of our graduates. Last year £50,000 was invested in state-of-the-art interviewing equipment allowing students to practice these skills in a safe environment.”