New partnership with West Mercia Police

The BSc (Hons) Policing provides students with a solid foundation for a professional career in the police and related occupations through academic study and a work placement.

Chief Constable of West Mercia Police, Paul West, and Professor Judith Burnett, Dean of the School of Law, Social Sciences and Communications, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at West Mercia Police Headquarters at Hindlip Hall, Worcester, on Wednesday, 23 February 2011.

The agreement means students on the Policing degree will have the opportunity to gain real experience as Special Constables in West Mercia Police.

Professor Burnett said: “We are delighted to have formed a new partnership with West Mercia Police which will benefit our aspiring police officers enormously. The work placement aspect of the BSc (Hons) Policing provides extremely valuable experience for our students which is underpinned by relevant and engaging academic study.”

Chief Constable Paul West said: “This partnership with the University of Wolverhampton will provide an opportunity for students enrolled on the BSc Policing degree to undertake a period of practical experience as a Special Constable with West Mercia during their second year of study. This is part of our wider strategy around the Special Constabulary and benefits West Mercia Police in opening up a new avenue of recruits, who may wish to apply to join as regular officers in due course.

“It also benefits our communities by engaging young people who can relate to the younger members of our communities, and can also share positive messages about policing with fellow students.”

The new agreement builds upon existing partnerships established by the University of Wolverhampton with West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police, the British Transport Police and the Royal Military Police, Territorial Army which allow students to undertake work placements with them.

The BSc (Hons) Policing is one of a few available in the UK and was developed with the support of the National Policing Improvement Agency.

The course draws on expertise from across the University, for example students are taught law and criminology at the School of Law, Social Sciences and Communications, mental health concepts at the School of Health and Wellbeing, management and leadership skills at the University of Wolverhampton Business School and forensic science using the School of Applied Sciences state-of-the-art labs.

In their final year, students complete a research project based around their minimum two years of Special Constabulary service.

For more information about the BSc (Hons) Policing visit www.wlv.ac.uk/policing

ENDS

Picture: ( L - R) Special Constabulary Chief Officer Guy Fewtrell, Director, Central Institute for the Study of Public Protection at the University Dr Martin Wright, Dean of the School of Law, Social Sciences and Communications at the University Professor Judith Burnett, Chief Constable Paul West, Assistant Chief Constable Simon Edens and Chief Superintendant Nick Mason.

For more information please contact Vickie Warren in the University of Wolverhampton Media Relations Office on 01902 322736.