Kirklees Explorers get chance to find out about riot policing

Jun 1 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

BUDDING police officers in Kirklees are finding out that life in the force can be a riot.

Twenty-five 16 to 18 year-olds will see how officers handle riots and public disorder.

They are midway through the 23-week Explorer programme, set up for people interested in signing up.

The course provides an insight into how officers prevent and investigate crime.

Sgt Richard Haigh, who helped to develop the course, said: “The explorers will be taking part in a staged exercise, involving all aspects of major public disorder, in order to test the skills and agility of officers.

“This will enable them to witness this aspect of policing in a controlled environment.

“The students will also learn about defensive tactics and personal safety.”

Participants have already been involved in discussions about police stop-and-search powers, looked at the different stages of an actual murder enquiry, learned about high-tech crime, spoken to members of specialist units and found out how police work with media.

Sgt Haigh said: “All the training and knowledge will be put into practice by each explorer when they go out on patrol with local neighbourhood policing team officers.”