Thursday 30th October 2008
(ref:
GMP/2401/2008)
Student police officers will be taking part in a training exercise in Wigan town centre on Monday 3 November to provide them with greater understanding of local community needs.
Twenty student officers from the Leigh area training base will be divided into two groups with half in plain clothes and the other in uniform. The officers will then re-enact various scenarios ranging from vehicle searches to handling hate crime incidents.
This is the first time Wigan has provided a setting for this type of exercise, and it is designed to give student officers valuable experience of applying their classroom knowledge in real surroundings.
Activities will take place between 9am and 2pm in various locations including:
- the Grand Arcade,
- market place,
- church gardens,
- and the bus station.
Shops will be trading normally, but notices will be in place to inform the public about the exercise.
Inspector Glenn Jones said: “Officers will be able to practise procedures such as stop and search and filling out the relevant paper work, and it is great for the students to get out and try these things in a real situation. It is the first time we have done this in Wigan town centre and we hope it will become a regular feature.”
Note to editors
The training exercise will be starting between 9am and 9.30am on Monday 3 November at various locations around Wigan town centre including the market place, HSBC, Subway and Greenwoods. Officers will be available for photographs and interviews. Contact Sergeant Dave Moriarty on 07827 840996 on the day.
For further information contact: Russell Lawson, Divisional Communications Officer, on 0161 856 2284
