WEST Yorkshire Police's first-ever police studies students were graduating from Huddersfield University today.

And they were doing so in front of Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison.

The force was one of the first in the country to adopt a foundation degree route for its trainee officers and 97 constables are set to receive their qualifications.

The officers have graduated after two years of practical and class-based work that has formed part of their probationary period with the university.

The two-year programme saw a shift from residential training in various areas of the country.

It now includes blocks of study covering topics such as understanding social and community issues, professional and community partnerships, equality and diversity and human rights.

Student officers also carried out placements with a range of community groups, as well as being assessed in a range of practical policing exercises.

This ensures that they can step on to the streets as well rounded officers who are fully aware of the issues they are likely to face.

Virginia Hainsworth, training manager at West Yorkshire Police's Training and Development Centre, said: “The whole two-year programme is designed around national standards and the foundation degree element is also linked to those standards.

“Accreditation of the programme to foundation degree level allows us to deliver training in partnership with a well-established and highly regarded university.

“As a result we have enhanced our assessment processes, allowed our student officers to reflect more on their role in society and to take a broader view of policing in ever-changing communities.

“They now come out of their two- year probationary period with a professional policing qualification.

“Foundation degree assignments are still linked to practical policing and the university provides a lot of support in study skills for those without a previous academic history or who have been out of education for a long time."

Those who graduated have the option of further study to make the foundation degree a full BSc honours in applied criminology.

Pc Neil Taylor, of Dewsbury police, said: "Working in partnership with the university and attaining a foundation degree has enabled me to be armed with professional knowledge and expertise, not only in practice but in a theoretical way that has enabled me to understand more about victims of crime.

“I especially enjoyed the community partnership placements, where I could see first hand how hard external partnership agencies work alongside the police service.

“It enabled me to recognise the importance of partnership working in order to achieve the common goals of reducing crime, the fear of crime and the rehabilitation and re-integration of offenders into the community.

“The last two years have been extremely demanding but undoubtedly process.”

Pc Stephen Neesham, of Bradford North police, said: "The course helped me to develop professionally and academically in a way I would not have done without it.

“Learning about crime theories and understanding how the police, probation and courts work together has been of value in my day to day police work."