Lecturers often use skills and experiences drawn from their previous careers to enhance lesson plans, but at Bishop Auckland College former police officer Katy Graham has developed a whole new course which offers the ideal preparation for students looking to follow in her footsteps.
As a Durham Constabulary police officer Katy faced a wide range of challenges, from aggressive drunks, to victims of crime, to families touched by tragedy. But it was her work on the rehabilitation of prolific young offenders which gave her the desire to pursue a new career in teaching.
And as a result of her close links with Durham Constabulary, the college has been able to develop a new HNC/HND in Public Services (Policing and Criminal Investigation) qualification starting in September, designed for students planning a career in the police and related services, such as criminal profiling.
The one and two year Higher Education programmes see students gaining skills such as an awareness of substance misuse, how crime affects our society, effective searches of vehicles and properties for evidence, and also working with local police on a large-scale public consultation.
Katy, 28, of Bishop Auckland, said, “I am very excited that the college is offering this course to the potential police officers of the future. I loved my role as a police officer and am extremely looking forward to working with my colleagues to deliver an outstanding higher education programme, which will equip our students with the knowledge and skills to be well-prepared to undergo their initial police training if they are successfully recruited into a UK police service.”
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
