Tag: Avon & Somerset Police

Standing Against Racism & Inequality

Author Claire Bowers | Posted on

Author: Micah Hassall

This week, we are proud to share this insightful blog post about Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI), an organisation whose contributions have been invaluable to our Policing programme. Their sessions play a vital role in helping students understand the complexities of hate crime, discrimination, and the deep, lasting effects these issues have on individuals, families, and communities. 

For policing students, this learning is more than simply theoretical, it is foundational to professional practice. Future officers must be able to recognise when hate crime manifests, respond with fairness, transparency, and empathy, and demonstrate positive action that upholds community safety and public confidence. Every interaction an officer has, especially in the context of hate and discrimination, contributes either to building trust or eroding it. 

There have been overwhelmingly positive responses from Police students within the PCDA programme and DHEP:  

“The SARI team are great! They understood things from different perspectives and gave me real insight into hate crime and its effects on victims. It was a great input and I think it was needed. It was eye opening and good to learn about discrimination.”  

SARI’s work equips future officers with the insight needed to challenge discriminatory behaviours, support victims compassionately, and understand the wider societal contexts in which hate crime occurs. Their teaching reinforces the core values that underpin ethical policing in the UK: legitimacy, justice, equality, and procedural fairness. 

In the year ending March 2025, there were 115,990 hate crimes recorded by the Police in England and Wales (excluding the Metropolitan Police Service). This is a 2% increase compared with the previous year (Home Office, 2025).

Below, you will find short responses from SARI team members who have been interviewed about the challenges faced by victims, the barriers to reporting, and the crucial role that policing plays in response and prevention. The team’s insights capture their lived experience of this important work and the lessons they believe future police officers should take forward. 

What does SARI’s mission mean ‘in practice’ for communities in Bristol and beyond? 

We see our mission as combatting racism and inequality in all its forms; through support, education, and advocacy.

We strive to create a society where everyone, regardless of their background, is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.

In practice, this means that people have a trusted and safe space to turn to when they experience hate, and that there is an organisation which is by their side in the fight against hate. We have been doing this work for over 30 years.

What does a ‘day in the life’ look like for someone working at SARI? 

Our Project Workers provide a free casework service to victims of hate crime and hate incidents. They offer to see clients at their homes or at a place of their choice and will draw up a support plan for each person they work with. This may include speaking to the client’s housing provider, going into a school on behalf of a young person, or liaising with the police. Project Workers will also chair multi-agency meetings, ensuring that hate and the impact it is having on their client is high on the agenda. 

A great deal of time will be spent on the victim’s caseload, working with them as they navigate the aftermath of the hate experience, and ensuring they are regularly kept up-to-date with how their case is progressing.  

Each interaction will be different, but the aim is always the same; ensuring clients feel heard, validated, and supported.

Our Training and Education department, along with members of the casework team, work to raise awareness of hate and the impact it has, delivering sessions to schools, organisations and agencies, including the police. These sessions aim to build understanding around how to recognise and respond to hate.  

What are the most common challenges individuals face when reporting hate crime or discrimination, and how does SARI support them? 

There are numerous issues that people face when reporting hate or discrimination. This is why our support is so important, because it gives victims a safe space to be validated by people who understand the impact of hate.  

One of the biggest challenges is the fear that they won’t be believed, or that their traumatic experience of hate will not be taken seriously.

 There can also be a lack of trust in institutions, such as the police, amongst some of the communities we work with, especially if they have had poor interactions with them in the past, or if the hate has come from within the police. In these cases, we do the reporting on their behalf, and work with them so that by the end of their time with SARI, they feel empowered and confident to report themselves.  

What misconceptions about racism or hate crime do you encounter most often, and how do you challenge them? 

There can be a lack of awareness around different cultures and communities, which then influences the bias that someone may have regarding an another person’s behaviour. We challenge this through our training, where we speak about misconceptions. 

What role does educating police students at UWE play in preventing hate crime, and what initiatives does SARI offer? 

We believe that education is fundamental to the work that we do here at SARI. Promoting social cohesion and the understanding of communities from diverse backgrounds is inherent for a better, more just society.

We feel it is essential that people with influence and power, who work with some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, understand the challenges and barriers that they face on a day-to-day basis. 

A lot of the work we do here at SARI is around the Equality Act 2010 and the sessions that we deliver to the police students at UWE is mostly based on lived experience.  

We offer a free casework service to any person who perceives that they have been targeted with a hate crime or a non-crime hate incident due to one of their protected characteristics. 

We also deliver training and education sessions to schools, colleges, organisations, and agencies, raising awareness of the impact of hate and how to respond to it. We attend strategic and multi-agency meetings, holding agencies to account and exploring trends of hate crime and non-crime hate incidents to ensure that we are where we need to be.  

What advice would you give to someone who witnesses or experiences a hate crime or incident? 

If it is an emergency, please call 999. If you are a witness of, or a victim of a hate incident, we encourage you to report it to SARI and to the police. We have compiled a useful resource for people if they encounter hate. 

Banner taken from the SARI website

How do you make a referral to SARI?  

You can make a referral via our website or by calling us on 0117 942 0060.  

We also run an out-of-hours service where you can leave a message, and someone will get back to you.  

What is SARI’s vision for the future? What changes do you hope to see in the next five years? 

It sounds cheesy but, we would like to see people be kinder to each other, respect and value difference. At the moment it feels like there is so much division, which is playing out in day-to-day interactions and seriously impacting how safe and welcome people feel in our communities. 

Practically, we would like to see tackling hate crime and incidents become a statutory duty in line with domestic abuse.

Hate has such a devastating impact across our communities, leaving people afraid to go out of their houses, go to school, live their lives and in the worst-case scenarios, hate crime kills.

 It is therefore imperative that hate crimes are addressed with the gravity they demand. 

Thank you so much to the team at SARI for providing these valuable insights. Your work continues to be a vital part of their learning journey, and it’s a privilege to have you involved in the Policing programmes at UWE.

To end this blog, we would like to leave you with some feedback from the lecturing team, reflecting student comments and the experiences that they have shared with them:

“I just wanted to say a sincere thank you for the sessions you delivered yesterday. Your input was incredibly valuable, and the impact on our students was clear and deeply appreciated.”

“The feedback from your session was especially positive, students spoke highly of the relevance, openness, and the opportunity to engage with such important and challenging topics.”

If you would like to learn more about SARI and what they do, you can visit their website at SARI – Stand Against Racism & Inequality.

References

Home Office (2025) Hate crime, England and Wales, year ending March 2025. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-year-ending-march-2025 (Accessed: 6 March 2026)

Editorial team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief), Claudia McCready (Lecturer), Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer), Eve Smietanko (Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

From Rhineland-Palatinate to the South West: International reflections on Community-Centred Policing

Author claudiamccready | Posted on

This blog has been written by Lynn Mohring, Simon Hauk and Simon Grethlein.

This January, three student officers from the Rhineland-Palatinate University of Police immersed themselves in a week of policing, culture, and community at UWE Bristol and with Avon & Somerset Police.

Lynn, Simon and Felix’s reflections uncover meaningful contrasts— from court procedures and officer safety approaches to discovering a policing style grounded in communication, patience, and community engagement. This blog captures a week of international knowledge exchange, showcasing the value of openness, curiosity and shared learning across policing cultures.

And if all of that is not enough, it also features photos of our local police horses and working dogs… because no international exchange is completed without a few four-legged colleagues.

What were your first impressions when you arrived in England?

When we arrived at London Heathrow in the morning of Saturday Jan. 10th, we were welcomed by sunshine which was a surprise, England being known for its rainy weather. We then got our rental car, which led us to our first challenge: driving on the left side of the road. But for Felix, being an experienced driver, it was no problem after a short time of getting used to it. On our way from London to Bristol, we made a little detour to Oxford where we were just in awe of the beautiful old buildings and the city’s history being present in every street. After spending some time just roaming through the city, we drove to Bristol where we met Claudia McCready, who turned out to be the loveliest and most welcoming person. She showed us around UWE Campus, which is different from the German School of Policing at Campus Hahn as it is a normal university which includes the department of Policing. The part of school where the policing students work really impressed us because it is so modern. For instance, the simulation rooms are not comparable to the ones on Hahn – we felt like we were walking through Ikea.

One Monday we first had a lovely chat with Dr. Anne Eason, the Associate Director of Policing, over some tea and coffee she treated us to. Thanks again, Anne! It was really nice to see a woman as the “Big Boss”.

We then met the second year DHEP students who were super nice and open-minded. They enthusiastically joined our little German quiz at the end of our presentation on the German Police in Rhineland Palatinate, where we asked them what words like “Zeugnisverweigerungsrecht” meant.

During the week we met many interesting people – Martin and Gary took us to visit Crown Court, the Major Crime Department and CID. We had very informative conversations with the first year students, and also with one of the lecturers, Imogen Hirst, who shared many of her valuable experiences.

Sam and Lloyd showed us the Mounted Police facilities, their Headquarters, the dog and drones units, and most interesting for some of us (looking at you, Felix), the firearms unit at Black Rock. Everyone we met had such a positive and friendly attitude which made our stay really comfortable.

Even outside of UWE and the police, the people we met were super friendly, open-minded and interested. All in all, we found the British people to always be very polite and considerate.

What did a typical day on the exchange look like?

A typical day on the exchange began with meeting Claudia in the morning and joining her and/or the students to lectures, scenarios or presentations from people outside the Police. We met peers from the CPS and people who support street sex workers to stay safe.

It was really interesting because it gave us a good understanding of how the Avon & Somerset Police operate. Especially the scenarios were very interesting to watch, showing us how all in all the British and the German police are very similar. However, there are some differences such as how to perform a body search, or in the general dealing with a citizen.

On Tuesday and Friday, we had a diverse program off UWE Campus, visiting Crown Court, criminal departments and various police units. For me as a horse rider, seeing the mounted police was a highlight of course. At Crown Court we were surprised by the wigs the officials wore and the fact that the barristers switch between prosecuting and defending, which in Germany are two completely separate jobs.

At CID we were shown the timeline of a crime, created with the help of CCTV. You could trace back every step of the involved thanks to the footage which is a huge benefit for the investigation. German data protection could never!

By the end of the daily program we were always very tired because of the many new and interesting impressions – but we had to take advantage of our rental car… So every evening we visited cool new spots, and although we saw everything in darkness it was totally worth it. We were almost blown away by the wind on the south coast (shoutout to the friendly stranger who showed us the fossils in the cliffs). We also walked over the beautifully illuminated Clifton Bridge, tried fish & chips, watched football in a British pub, visited Bath, and even crossed the border to Cardiff/Wales. Together with Claudia we enjoyed a lovely trip to Bristol City where we visited a really nice museum and had discussions over some politics, went souvenir shopping and just had a wonderful time.

Are there any policing methods or approaches in England and Wales that stood out to you?

Of course, the biggest and most outstanding difference between the British and the German police to us is the fact that British police officers don’t carry firearms. In the German police, officers are trained and getting used to carrying a gun within the first year of police training. Being out on the streets and not carrying a gun as protection is unimaginable to most of us. But it must be said that using a gun in a real-life scenario is really uncommon and bound by strict rules.

However, seeing the British approach and the deep respect for it within the police, but also in society, showed us that this method works just as well. From all the conversations with the students, the lecturers and the other police officers we learned that the goal with this method is to appear more citizen-friendly and approachable to the community. We got the impression that in this way the police seem more ‘harmless’ and that in return people are somewhat less prone to violence, which seems a good danger prevention tactic.

 In general, the British police are more sensitive and more in contact with the people and communities. The officers take the time to explain everything in detail and sometimes even a few times, so the person really understands the measures and feels understood. The students are explicitly trained in this approach. Communication is also very important in the German police, but I feel the patience is quickly lost and officers want to move on, which is often (sadly) necessary because there is always too much to do with too few officers.

There are many reasons for this, including the fact that in Germany there are always two officers working together. In the car, on patrol or while taking measures, we are never alone. This is different in the British police where the officers are usually on their own. With this method they get more tasks done but from a German point of view this comes with a high risk. The so called “Eigensicherung”, the self-protection, is always of utmost importance for German police officers – after all everybody just want to get back home safely. When you are always with somebody you can discuss how to handle a situation, learn from one another and in case of a fight or attack, you always have immediate backup.

Even the students go out alone after only a few months of training which seems kind of crazy to us. Our students are always the third officers of the patrol for the entire three years of education. Personally, I would be more than overtaxed with being on my own after such a short time of learning, but on the other hand the British students have a much quicker learning progress.

In conclusion, the British police have some very different approaches in parts which I mostly appreciate and admire, only being on my own while doing such a dangerous job would be too high risk for me.

Written by Lynn Mohring.

How did the experience challenge or change your perspective on policing?

I would not say that the exchange influenced my point of view or created a new perspective on policing in general but during the exchange I have learnt that there are many different approaches.

During our week we spent time with the students of Avon & Somerset Police at UWE Bristol.  

Having watched a few training scenarios and other lessons I noticed that the biggest aim of the English police is to communicate with the citizens in a friendly and comprehensible way and to impose their measures by words. Therefore, at first the police officers are eager to understand the problems of the citizens and then come to a solution with a positive communication.

This approach reinforced my thinking of communication as probably the strongest tool when it comes to handling police situations. Back in Germany I am sure that I can transfer this approach into my daily work routine as a German police officer.

What was the most memorable moment during your exchange?

The whole week was full of highlights and entertaining conversations. If I had to pick one moment or event of the whole exchange, I would probably name our visit to the Police Headquarters.

On this day we were able to see the Dog Unit, the Mounted Police, ‘Black Rock’ and other practical parts of the Avon & Somerset Police. This day and especially the conversations with colleagues enabled a certain comparison to our practical training, education and special forces.

But I can also recommend our short visit to the Crown Court in Bristol where we could be part of a real trial and discover how the English court system works. Each of us were able to feel the influence of the past and we could see some old traditions during a trial. A good example would be the curly wigs the prosecutors and the defending barristers have to wear.

In addition to that, we finished the day by visiting ‘CID’ and the ‘Major Crime Investigation Team’.

Did you notice any significant difference in how the police engage with the public in Avon and Somerset compared to Rhineland-Palatinate?

I have already mentioned the importance of the communicating with the opposite person being very important for the English officers. This kind of sensitive treatment of the citizens and detailed way to explain or to justify the measures done by the police is much more relevant and existent than it is in Germany. For instance, in Germany you do not spend that much time determining whether the person involved understood your assignment or not.

Therefore, I admired the patience of the English colleagues they put in to make the person involved feel comfortable.

Another big difference between German and English policing is obviously the fact that not every police officer in England is allowed to carry a gun during their shifts.

During the whole week we had some discussions about this interesting topic. Afterwards I was able to fully understand the thoughts and the aim behind the limited access to guns inside the police and the limited presence of armed police officers on the streets. For us it still remains a completely different approach but also an extraordinary approach worthy of admiration and respect.

Written by Simon Hauk.

How has this experience influenced your development as a student officer?

I think for me it was a great experience to gain insights into a police context outside of my own police organization. Until now, approaches and possible courses of action only came from “our own ranks.” Through the exchange with English colleagues and the insight into their methods of working, I was able to gain some great ideas, which I believe will also help me in Germany to handle my assignments. For example, we had the chance to watch the role plays of our fellow police students. We especially noticed some very helpful victim protection techniques in dealing with affected individuals, which I definitely want to take home with me.

How did it feel to represent your university and police service on an international platform?

For me, it was an absolutely wonderful experience, which also made me very proud. That applies to all of us. We were also very happy to present our host, Claudia, with our state emblem, under which we do our daily duty as police officers, as a gift.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience to exchange ideas with our British colleagues about everyday police work and to contribute experiences from Germany. Therefore, we would definitely recommend not missing any opportunity for an exchange with the Police of Avon & Somerset. For us, it was a unique experience that brought us many wonderful moments. Therefore, we would also like to thank Claudia, UWE Bristol, and the Police of Avon & Somerset, as as well as all other participants from the Rhineland-Palatinate Police University.

Written by Felix Grethlein.

Final thanks

Claudia and the Editorial Team would like to extend a huge thank you to Lynn, Simon and Felix for sharing their reflections. It was a pleasure to spend the week with such positive, engaged and genuinely inquisitive student officers. All the best with your upcoming graduation and the wonderful career ahead of you.

Editorial team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

National Apprenticeship Week

Author Paul Williamson | Posted on

To mark the NAW2026 Apprentice Wednesday theme, we are sharing another snapshot of life on the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA). In this blog, apprentice officer Tom Owen from our June24 cohort, reflects on the variety and pace of frontline policing, busts a common myth about the journey into the role, and explains how academic learning, reflective practice and real-world experience combine, often under pressure, to shape professional judgement. Over to Tom…

Favourite part of the role

Variety – no two days feel the same. You might be writing coursework, reflecting on your experiences one day, and the next you’re then seeing how the theory translates into practice as you juggle safety, legislation, and investigation at the scene of a roadside collision. That overlap between academic thinking and frenetic frontline policing is demanding, but it makes the PCDA feel like real professional development, not just policing with university on the side.

One Myth to bust

It’s a long road to becoming a police officer. That’s definitely not been my experience. Day one, its impressed upon you that you’re an officer – with the accountability and responsibility that comes with it. The expectations are rightly high even as you learn the basics.

Day in the life

There’s no standard day, and no easy ones either! You might be on a nine-hour shift, with no possibility of rest and no guarantee of finishing on time. During that you’ll work collisions, assaults, thefts, and anything else that you’re thrown at and whether you’re with your tutor (in the early days) or out on your own, you’re constantly applying what you’ve learned to some really chaotic situations. You may never have experienced real conflict before, but you’ll suddenly find yourself trying to remember how a complex piece of legislation fits the circumstances you find yourself in and gets you to a good outcome for the people involved. If you’re not on shift and back in an academic cycle the pressure doesn’t lessen. Sure, you may not be in harm’s way, but you’ll have assignments and deadlines that keep the pressure on. It’s so important to find ways of balancing it all, managing that stress, but it’s worth it. It really is.

Top 3 learning moments

Reflective writing helps you. It feels strange and perhaps less than relevant when you begin writing reflections as part of the apprenticeship programme. Lean into it: It’s a crucial skill. It teaches you to take a moment and breathe, to learn what you can from a situation and to recognise the things that are within (or beyond) your control. You’ll need that every day you’re on duty.

Keep de-escalating. Find new ways to try to calm a situation. Even if you’ve tried, even if you’re repeating yourself, even while you’re having to physically intervene just keep trying to calm them.

Theory and Practice: it’s fair to say that some models you look at in university don’t quite land cleanly out in the world. Policing is messy and chaotic and you’ll scratch your head trying to find the relevance of a particular model. Take the pieces of each of them that apply to a situation though and you’ll quickly find yourself building better ways of approaching problems that come up again and again.

Challenges

The hardest part of the process is workload. The University periods seem well contained, but managing your reflective practice and selecting evidence to meet competencies while being bounced from incident to incident can prove challenging. The work of response policing alone can be challenging to be honest, if somewhat expected. The best advice is to speak with your tutor and supervisor early and check in if you need to.

Advice for applicants

Get comfortable with planning your work in advance – even on district. If you have investigations, you’re managing then understand who you need to speak to, where you need to go to advance them and do it before the radio calls you to the next demand on your time. It’s fair that even the best laid plans rarely survive a busy shift but keep a record of outstanding tasks and get to them when you can – it’ll save you a headache later as you try to catch up and the radio’s calling.

Thanks to Tom for sharing such an honest and thoughtful snapshot of life on the PCDA. If you are interested to find out more, you can follow these links to #NAW2026 and the Police degree apprenticeship route.

Editorial team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

National Apprenticeship Week: Employer Tuesday

Author Paul Williamson | Posted on

To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2026 through today’s Employer Tuesday theme, we are spotlighting the partnership behind UWE Bristol’s Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA). In this blog, Jane Exon, Apprenticeship Employer Development Manager for the Police Programme, offers a behind-the-scenes look at how UWE works with Avon and Somerset Police to support recruits from onboarding to completion, delivering a high-quality, compliant programme that develops confident, competent officers.

Meet Jane

Hi! I’m Jane Exon, and within our Apprenticeship Team I look after the Police Programme. In my role as Apprenticeship Employer Development Manager, I work closely with our Associate Director Anne Eason, Programme Leads, and Avon and Somerset Police to make sure every recruit gets off to a smooth and supported start. From onboarding through to completion, we’re here to help keep the programme compliant, high quality, and focused on giving apprentices the best possible experience.

What is the PCDA?

The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) was created nationally for people recruited to become serving police officers. It’s a brilliant, transformational route for new recruits who want to grow into confident, capable, and community focused police professionals. The programme blends academic study, operational experience, and personal development, helping apprentices build the skills they need from day one.

Ensuring compliance and quality

Running an apprenticeship isn’t just about teaching and training, it also means staying fully compliant with Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funding rules and apprenticeship regulations.

Our PCDA is fully mapped to the official Level 6 Police Constable apprenticeship standard. This ensures every required knowledge, skill and behaviour is delivered and assessed properly, consistently, and in line with national expectations.

At the very start the apprentices and employer receive a full training plan. This includes everything that counts towards off the job learning — academic modules, placements, skills sessions, and blended learning activities. Everything is carefully mapped to ESFA rules so apprentices always know what they’re working towards.

Working with the force

As an employer focused university, partnership is at the heart of what we do. We work closely with Avon and Somerset Police to make sure the communication stays open and supportive for both the force and the apprentices.  We do this through regular meetings throughout the programme to support apprentice progress.  Therefore, any issues are picked up early so we can work together by ongoing collaboration to provide a positive journey from recruitment to graduation.

What success looks like by graduation

At UWE Bristol, we’re incredibly proud of the work we do together — our staff, our partners at Avon and Somerset Police, and of course, our apprentices. By combining our strengths, we’re able to deliver an apprenticeship that truly supports people to thrive in their policing careers.  By the end of the apprenticeship, we see our graduates go on to become well rounded police officers who are:

•            Strong communicators

•            Evidence led decision makers

•            Skilled at assessing and managing risk

•            Ethical and community focused

•            Confident in applying academic learning to real world policing situations

It’s a rewarding role being in the apprenticeships team and the small part we have supporting the next generation of police officers and of course all our apprentices across the various programmes, continuing to strengthen our employer partnership. 

Our thanks to Jane for this employer insight and to all those working in support of the PCDA programme. If you are interested to find out more, you can follow these links to #NAW2026 and the Police degree apprenticeship route.

Editorial team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2026

Author Paul Williamson | Posted on

We are thrilled to be supporting the start of National Apprenticeship Week with a two-part series celebrating Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) officers from Avon & Somerset Police. Each piece offers an honest look at early career frontline policing, what they enjoy most, what a typical shift can involve, key learning that has shaped their practice, and the realities of balancing degree study alongside operational demand.

First up is Coral Forde, reflecting on teamwork, the pace and variety of response policing, and the practical lessons picked up on the programme.

Favourite part

My favourite part of my policing career is my team. The team dynamic works well, in that we recognise each other’s strengths and weaknesses, which we use to our advantage at jobs. By having a smaller team, we hold each other accountable and identify areas for personal development. Due to the shift pattern, we spend a lot of time around each other, and by having a great team where I feel supported, I enjoy going to work.

A common myth is that all police officers are blue‑light trained, but in reality, officers complete the advanced response driving courses needed to legally and safely drive on blue lights after 3 years of service.

Day in the life of

I try to arrive early, giving myself time to settle in before the pace picks up. Some days I am sent straight out to support colleagues or help meet demand. If I am not, I head into briefing — the essential “need‑to‑know” update on recent activity, current risks, and priority intelligence for my area. We will also be assigned to our call sign and crewing. This usually takes around 20 minutes. I may be assigned a handover, where I take over the investigation around someone who is in police custody or a Top 3 priority job, which is a call that needs to be dealt with ASAP but due to staffing levels and other demands, has not been attended yet. Where I can, I check my emails and task tray, working through any admin that needs attention before heading out. Throughout my shift I can be dispatched to anything from Missing people, Road traffic collisions, Domestic incidents, suspicious behaviour, and people in mental health crisis. In between calls, I will grab some food and where I can I like a cup of tea. Every day is different, some can be busier than others, but each one is centred on preventing harm, crime reduction and supporting my community.

Three things I have learnt

One of the important things I have learnt whilst at UWE that has transferred over into operational policing is the 8 – Step ladder to Femicide, developed by Professor Jane Monkton Smith. By understanding the 8‑Stage Homicide Timeline, I can now better recognise patterns of coercive control and escalating risk long before violence reaches a crisis point, and I can use the stages alongside my NDM to identify practical actions and safeguarding interventions at any domestic incident I attend.

I have also learnt the importance of learning about and understanding local issues within my community, as it will help me identify and support vulnerable people, and understand why they may commit crime. This will shape the type of policing response we give to help balance public confidence whilst upholding the law.

Being on the PCDA programme with UWE has taught me how important it is to reflect on my work and decisions, both in the moment and after incidents. Through academic input and practical learning, I have developed a better understanding of why reflective practice strengthens my professional judgement, improves my policing approach, and helps me recognise areas for growth. It has encouraged me to think critically about my actions, learn from experience, and continuously improve the way I safeguard and serve the public.

 Challenge of apprenticeship

For me, the biggest challenge of the apprenticeship is time management. You get protected learning time when you are at UWE, but alongside operational demand, you are required to complete reflections weekly during tutorship, and monthly thereafter. On top of this we are also required to submit evidence forms until we become fully operationally competent (FOC) to demonstrate our learning on the job. I was very fortunate in that I have an incredibly supportive PDU assessor. He introduced himself the first week of the PCDA programme and outlined how he would be supporting my career development. We maintained regular contact and set goals which minimised any stress and build-up of workload. He has also been supportive around my welfare as and when appropriate.

One piece of practical advice

One piece of practical advice I would give any officer, is invest in your locker. It will become your personal welfare hub. Keep it stocked with grab and go snacks, drinks, toiletries, spare uniform, and a change of personal clothes. By investing in your locker contents, you will be prepared for what the shift may throw at you. Plus, it means you will not have to wear custody clothes if you must change after a particularly messy job.

One thing I am proud of

I am proud to be working in my community, doing what I can to make a positive difference, and I hope that by showing my commitment, I can inspire others to step forward and do the same.

Thanks for reading Coral’s snapshot. If you are interested to find out more, you can follow these links to #NAW2026 and the Police degree apprenticeship route.

Editorial team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

Reflective Practice in Police Training

Author Claire Bowers | Posted on

“Reflection is one of the most underused yet powerful tools for success.” – Richard Carlson

Many of us have fresh goals and ambitious plans as we step into the new year. However, before we race ahead, there is immense value in pausing to look back. Reflection isn’t just about remembering what happened. It’s about understanding what those experiences taught us and how they shape the way forward.

Our first blog of 2026 is written by Eve Middleton, who is our Apprenticeship Progress Manager in Policing at UWE. Eve has worked at UWE since 2014 in various different roles, but always linked to the support of our frontline vocational programmes including: teaching, nursing and now policing – since 2020.

In this blog Eve considers why reflection is such an important part of policing and life. Over to you Eve…

Why reflection matters…

I recently spoke with a student officer who, during their first year, couldn’t see the point of reflections. It felt like a box-ticking exercise that took time away from the real action in the station.

By their second year, their perspective had shifted. Revisiting earlier reflections, they saw clear evidence of how far they’d come — from feeling uncertain and easily flustered on patrol to attending complex incidents with confidence. Seeing their own progress written down made a real impact.

I’ll admit, I whooped (and tried hard not to say I told you so). They’d captured one of the most valuable parts of reflection. It’s not just about analysing mistakes or spotting weaknesses. Sometimes, it’s simply about taking a moment to recognise growth.

“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” -John Dewey

The College of Policing describes reflective practice as a key part of professional learning. In simple terms, it’s about making sense of your experiences. Understanding what went well, and what didn’t, and how you can use those lessons next time. Policing isn’t a static job; every day brings something new. Officers who can think critically about their actions, learn from mistakes, and adapt is what keeps them, their colleagues, and the public safe.

Reflective practice also helps you meet apprenticeship funding requirements. Every apprentice has to evidence a set amount of off-the-job training.  This is new learning linked to the required knowledge, skills, and behaviours (or KSBs for short) that underpin the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA). Reflective writing counts towards KSBs and it also builds valuable evidence for student officers’ apprenticeship portfolios. It is also great preparation for professional discussion assessments, where you’ll be expected to explain what you’ve learned and how it links to the KSBs.

Beyond Pen and Paper

Not everyone connects with traditional written reflection. Some people think best out loud, which is why we’ve introduced the option for UWE PCDA Apprentices to record audio or video reflections instead. This way, you can reflect in whatever format works best for you.

This approach also mirrors what happens in real-life policing. Think about those informal debriefs after an incident, maybe on the drive back to the station or over a quick coffee with a colleague. You talk about what happened, what worked, and what you’d do differently next time. That’s reflection in action. We all do it! We’re all constantly processing, learning, and improving.

Dear Diary…

If the word “reflection” sounds a bit intimidating (or even a bit dull), try thinking of it as professional journaling. Journaling has well-known mental health benefits; it can reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and help you make sense of tough experiences.

In policing, where officers regularly face high-pressure situations, reflective writing or recording can be a powerful way to build resilience. It helps you process what’s happened, spot patterns in your thinking, and strengthen your confidence and judgement. Over time, this kind of reflection can help you feel more grounded and capable, even in challenging situations.

Continuous Professional Development

Of course, all of this talk about reflections doesn’t just apply to your time as an apprentice. As you progress in your career, the reflective skills you have developed will be used again and again. Reflection for the purposes of continuous professional development (CPD) is something that will be expected from you throughout your career.

An example of this can be found in the College of Policing (2025) Resources for Reflective Practice where you are encouraged to use the reflective models of Gibbs (1988) and Kolb (1984) to reflect on the impact of your learning. In fact, if you search the web for ‘reflective practice in policing’ you will see that it is a value that is threaded throughout all career branches. Reflective practice is also supported and promoted by the IOPC and the Police Federation to foster a solution-based approach to complaint resolution.

Image generated using Microsoft Copilot

A Little Nudge

I couldn’t resist the temptation to use this opportunity to provide a gentle reminder from your tripartite team, PDU assessors, and tutors to upload your monthly reflections! Nothing inspires ‘professional growth’ like a friendly nudge (or three)! It might feel like nagging, but we promise it’s for a good reason. We want you to succeed and fly through your assessments to reach a point where critical thinking becomes intuitive. So, upload those reflections and let your future self thank you later!

For more information and resources on reflective practice for UWE Apprentices, check your programme Blackboard site, chat with your PDU Assessor, or drop the PCDA tripartite team a line at hss.policing@uwe.ac.uk

About the Author

Eve immigrated to the UK from New Zealand in 2004 and found her way to the South West in 2007 after 3 years in London. She has had a varied working background including recruitment, film, TV, theatre, hospitality and childcare, to name a few! She currently lives in a beach town with her partner, dog and two cats and likes to spend much of her spare time pottering in the garden and learning new skills with power tools.

References

College of Policing (2025) Resources for Reflective Practice. Available from: Reflective-practice-resources-for-policing.docx [Accessed 15/01/2026].

Gibbs G. (1988). Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic.

Kolb DA. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe

Please feel free to leave a comment below which will be shared with the contributors. We would love to hear your thoughts!

Community at Christmas

Author Paul Williamson | Posted on

Our final UWE Bristol Policing blog for 2025 is proudly written by PC 999 Elf, who enjoyed the experience so much last year, he was desperate to repeat it this year. PC Elf would like to help our readers find their inner Christmas spirit at what can be a challenging time of year for many people, including police officers, staff and all those who care for them, as well as the people in the communities they serve.

Hello everyone! It’s great to be back out in public again after 11 months confined to a back-office role (i.e. the office drawer!). I’m really keen to get back out in the community and see what’s been going on this past year.

Right, before getting back on active duty, I had to undergo my annual fitness test. Being a part of the Elf Constabulary has its quirks, I have to say. Not only do I have to pass the bleep test, but I also have to wrap an awkward-shaped present in less than 30 seconds. And my annual PDR includes being measured on whether my ‘elf on the shelf’ initiatives are improving children’s behaviour in the runup to Christmas, as well as a presentation about how to take an evidence-based approach to which mince pie is the best, which is very messy 😊. But it’s all in day’s work for me! Just have to make sure I don’t sample too many of those mince pies so that I can still finish the bleep test!

Speaking of bleep tests, police recruitment and education in the Avon and Somerset area has really stepped up a gear in 2025. While recruitment is slightly down nationally, round these parts 10 cohorts on various police constable entry routes have joined Avon and Somerset. Of course they receive their police education at UWE, and this really shows how important collaboration and community are to achieving success. Working together produces something special. The collaboration has been so successful that a new 10-year-contract between UWE and Avon & Somerset Police was signed this year, helping to ensure that the area continues to produce such a high-quality policing workforce. Policing students at UWE really go above and beyond. One policing student even participated in Project Zulu, helping to deliver lessons about safeguarding in schools to pupils in South Africa. With this kind of drive, those policing students are going to need all the chocolate and mince pies they can lay their hands on this Christmas!

Community, whether home or abroad, is a key Christmas theme and something which policing has embraced. 2025 saw the launch of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee in England and Wales. UWE is supporting this with the development of a special Neighbourhood route for degree holder police recruits. But it starts closer to home, with all of us and our local communities, both at home and at work. Policing @ UWE is incredibly proud that the policing team was recently Highly Commended by UWE’s Vice Chancellor for the commitment they’ve displayed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Recognising everyone’s value and contribution is essential to social cohesion and healthy teams, including in the police. On the Elf squad, we have long known this – Christmas is a time when all mythical creatures must work together to get things done and ensure Santa is able to get his presents delivered across the world. Here I am with some of my fellow Christmas colleagues, the Gonks, who are responsible for protecting your homes (and letting Santa in if you don’t have a chimney).

We’ve all got our role to play to make sure Christmas runs smoothly and our communities remain as safe and happy as possible during this period. Spare a thought for the delivery drivers out there. Apparently Royal Mail delivered 188 million parcels over the Christmas period last year! That’s still not a patch on Santa, though, who delivers more than 500 million parcels in one night! (Siegel, 2021). This is why he needs those mince pies and cookies – it takes a lot of magical energy to keep that pace going. Anyway, coming back to teamwork, he couldn’t do it if it wasn’t for his army of elves and other magical creatures with their special skills, all working together in the background. It’s what you humans call multi-agency working.

Sadly, Christmas isn’t always full of cheer for everyone. This year Bristol reported the highest number of homeless people in the South West. The Charity Shelter report 4390 people in the city will be experiencing Christmas on the streets (Shepard, 2025). For others, the cost-of-living crisis is overwhelming, but help is on its way. Operation Community Hamper CIO has been putting together wonderful food hampers with help from UWE and some amazing volunteers, including one of our own, Senior Lecturer Dom McVeigh and his wonderful family.

Everyone can contribute something to make Christmas better. A small act of kindness can have as much of an impact on an individual as a big, bold corporate gesture.  A hot drink or sausage roll for someone who is homeless can mean so much.

It is always a busy time for the emergency services, Avon and Somerset Police launched their annual Christmas drink and drug driving campaign earlier this month, making 62 arrests in the first week (Avon and Somerset, 2025). That’s on top of all the crimes they are investigating as normal, making for a busy workload. Some of the incidents my human colleagues deal with can be traumatic and we ask you to spare a thought for these unsung heroes just doing their daily jobs. Please, don’t drink/drug drive!

Here on the Elf squad, we’re trying to do our bit too. We might be famous for our sense of mischief and fun, but we’re also hard workers (we have to be to get all those presents ready for Santa). Me and some of my colleagues have been applying for different roles to help out, from squad van driver to motorcycle team and even the mounted (reindeer) division…

Well, things to do, elves to see…but from us to you, our serving police officers (and elves) and all Blue light services, we wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and safe New Year.

PC 999 Elf …

(Ably assisted and authored by Associate Directors Sarah Williams and Anne Eason).

Avon and Somerset Police (2025) News of fatal collisions is not a Christmas message we want to deliver | Avon and Somerset Police

Motor Transport (2025) Christmas parcel deliveries boost Royal Mail revenue ahead of £3.6bn sale to Czech billionaire | Motor Transport

Shepard, G. (2025) Bristol records highest homeless rate in South West, Bristol Live Bristol records highest homeless rate in South West | Bristol Live

Siegel, E. (2021) This is How Santa Claus Can Deliver Presents to the Entire World in One Night. Forbes [online] 10 December. Available online at: This Is How Santa Claus Can Deliver Presents To The Entire World In One Night

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

Final Focus inside UWE Bristol’s Professional Policing Degree & Special Constabulary

Author Paul Williamson | Posted on

In the final instalment of this blog series, we meet Trinni Dagger, a UWE Bristol Professional Policing Degree (PPD) student who has combined her studies with volunteering as a Special Constable with Avon and Somerset Police. From her first open evening at UWE to completing over 650 hours on response shifts, Trinni shares how the PPD has helped her build confidence, understand police powers in practice, and confirm that policing is the career for her.

Discovering the Professional Policing Degree

To join the police, you need a degree and when I attended a UWE open evening, this course was shown to me. Even when I was younger, I have always said that I wanted to be a police officer, so I was very keen to join. I wanted to do CID originally when I joined the degree because I thought I was too small be an officer but after specialling, I have come to the conclusion that I do in-fact want to be an officer.

This PPD course has helped with my understanding of offences and powers. It has also helped with my decision making on shift.

Gaining Experience through the Special Constabulary

I was made aware about the Special Constabulary by our Programme Leader Christian during the first year of university. This allowed us time to prepare to apply during the second year. I wanted to gain experience on shift (try before you buy) to make sure that this is what I really want to do. I also wanted to be able to put what I learnt at university into action.

In terms of the online National Sift, I found that this process is a little confusing in the way that it can fail you on your decisions of you as a person. I find that it’s a harsh way to stop people from applying due to not giving the answers they want when technically there shouldn’t be a right or wrong answer. My top tip is to take your time when answering and ensure that you definitely read the questions correctly. 

The application process is straight forward as in they communicate the next steps and dates for things really well. The recruitment process is a LARGE commitment, from the interview, the training and after when you are on shift. I am very proud to be a Special and it is one of the best experiences. For the interview, they allow you 10 mins before to plan your answers to the questions (they also allow extra time/ coloured paper if you have any additional needs). The fitness test is more mind over matter, and you only have to run to 5.4 on the beep test. Try not to stress about it too much, you can redo it if needs be (same with the interview). The health screening was also simple, the drugs test is a small part of your hair cut, and your mouth swabbed. The hearing and sight test were over within minutes.

Training, Teamwork and Learning on the Job

The initial training provided by Avon and Somerset Police (ASP) is limited to only 6 weekends, so be prepared to feel as though you are not ready when you start but speak with your tutor and don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you are willing to get stuck in, then your team will have no complaints. The training I believe is now changing to 10 weekends. The training was great fun, and you make some very good connections with other people.

I trained along a wide range of people, some who had full time jobs and wanted to do something else alongside. Others had been officers before and wanted to come back without the shift pattens. Some didn’t have A levels so were using this as a way to be involved in policing and hopefully join full time after. Some worked in police departments and wanted to see another side of policing. Most people were doing it as a try before you buy. Some workplaces have signed up to allow paid time off to people who are specials, allowing them more opportunities to go on shift.  There were no differences in motivation or background between me and other recruits, and everyone seemed just as motivated to be there. People were always willing to help one another when they got stuck. You grow some lovely bonds with people.

Applying Classroom Knowledge to Real Situations

The Professional Policing Degree has helped me with understanding our powers and offences. It gives you a foundation, but there is still so much to learn when you become an officer. The training provided by ASP for special’s is more practical, it teaches you ways to defend yourself, how to write reports, some of the offences and what powers officers have. Alongside uni you learn a lot, and I feel as though you really start learning on the job.  Most areas you learn quick on the job, after doing it for some time you realise jobs are very similar in the sense of how you deal with it (questions asked/ actions taken) and it just changes with the situation. I found that I knew the caution very well when I started but I also felt initially overwhelmed. It’s not until you get to doing an actual job that you really start learning (I am a visual learner though).

Looking Ahead

When I graduate, I hope to join back to Patchway Team 4 Response, as I have grown a very good bond with my team (I have around 650 hours since the start of the year, I average around 4-6 shifts a set, a set is 6 shifts – so I’m in a lot). I have really enjoyed response despite how stressful the job is (the paperwork is also a lot). I’m hoping to get my independent patrol status before I join as I will then join on a higher pay bracket (I’m currently finishing tier 2, on tier 3, after tier 3 you get your independence). I can apply to join full-time in January as they go off predicted grades, but you have to graduate the same year.

For now, I wish to stay in response as I am very much enjoying it. I then think I want to join firearms. I don’t have much of an interest in traffic and CID is something I will investigate when I’m older. I enjoy going out on the initial jobs and I hope to keep developing as an officer and gain as many skills as I can. I really hope to get response and taser trained.

Advice for Future Applicants

If you are wanting to join the police or are not sure if you should this is defiantly something to consider. It’s an amazing opportunity and allows you to understand policing and put what you have learnt to good use. It also looks good on your CV and will allow your connections to be able to see what route you really wish to follow. If specialling seems too much, then I definitely recommend signing up for a ride along. This will allow you to see policing before you even apply to be a special. I do not regret my decision at all; it’s defiantly a big commitment but it has been worth it. I have seen myself grow as a person and I am very proud of some of the jobs I have done.

This role has also shown me how much the police actually deal with. Response officers not only go to the 999 calls, but they also carry case files that they need to progress with witness statements, interviews and more. It’s defiantly a hard going job with not only the job being demanding but the workload to. The number of officers does not meet the demand, so if police take longer to get to jobs than first thought its due to the this and officers being swept off their feet. It’s definitely a rewarding job and the bond you build with your team is very strong. There’s a lot more to policing then just officers in uniform driving around.

We would like to thank Trinni, Cece and Harvey for their honest and inspiring look at student life on the PPD at UWE Bristol during this series.

Anyone interested in applying for the PPD can find out more information here

If you are also interested in joining the Special Constabulary, you can find out more information here

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

Inside the Professional Policing Degree & Special Constabulary

Author Paul Williamson | Posted on

In this second blog of our series spotlighting the experiences of students on UWE Bristol’s Professional Policing Degree (PPD), we share the journey of Cece Delaney-Melville. From discovering an interest in policing during her A-levels to balancing her studies with volunteering as a Special Constable with Avon and Somerset Police, Cece offers a personal insight into the challenges, rewards, and opportunities of taking this path. Over to Cece…

Introduction to Policing

In A-levels I studied criminology, psychology, and law, this is what sparked my interest within policing.

I did not always know that I wanted to pursue a career in policing. My father was a firefighter, which first inspired my interest in a role that involved helping others, although I knew that path was not the right one for me. My interest in policing developed further once I began my studies, as I gained a deeper understanding of the various aspects of the role and the many ways in which officers support the community. Additionally, the variety and unpredictability of each day in policing have only strengthened my passion for pursuing this career.  It has widened my knowledge to the different thing policing is involved in and the many roles there are within policing.

Discovering the Special Constabulary

I was not aware of this opportunity at the start. Our Programme Leader Christian informed me within the first week of the PPD and highlighted the benefits of joining as a Special Constable. After learning more about it, I was immediately keen to apply.

What motivated me was the valuable experience I would gain and how this would complement my degree. Becoming a Special Constable allows me to apply the knowledge from my studies to real-life situations, as well as bring practical insights from policing back into my academic work. It also provides me with invaluable first-hand experience of the role, giving me a clear understanding of what to expect when I join the police full time.

Application and Recruitment Process

In relation to the UK National Sift process, I found this stage straightforward, it was easy to do, and you just answer the questions as you believe.

The online application was straightforward. However, the interview was slightly stressful, but this is normal like any other interview you go to you would be nervous. You are given a range of questions and topics you will discuss within the interview prior to the day. The best thing you can do is answer the questions as you would in the interviews and memorise your answers. On the day of the interview, you will be given 10-15 minutes to write down any notes you have on flashcards to jog your memory. For the health screening you will be asked to attend the HQ where they will take your fingerprints a hair sample to test for drugs and you will be weighed, measured and asked basic health questions. Additionally, you will do a hearing and an eye test. The ladies who did my health screening for me where lovely and helpful so do not worry! And finally, the bleep test! I was nervous about this due to the fact it was a pass or fail assessment however it is only 3.7, which is basically a light jog!

Training Experience

My training cohort had 16 people, and these weekends were really fun and informative. The training stretched across 7 weekends. The first was an introduction weekend where you received your uniform and laptop making it feel all a bit more real.  Then the rest of the weekends were grouped into learning the National Decision Model (NDM) and values of the force, legislation, first aid, policing roads, and PPST which is where you get to use your batons and learn take downs and other tactics. This is a really fun weekend, and I recommended you book to stay at the HQ! Then finally your graduation weekend!

The people I trained with were from many walks of life. I was one of the youngest and the only university student. However, other people had full time jobs such as a neuroscientist, comms operators, BT workers, paramedics and lots more.

There were different motivators for everyone. Some did it as they always wanted to be an officer but their career took them elsewhere so this was something they could do alongside working, however a lot of people used the specials as a stepping stone to join the police full time.

Support from the PPD Degree

The PPD has helped me a lot with being a special. The biggest thing is helping me understand the people I meet out on duty, the theories you will learn in this degree are extremely relevant.

The training provided by the force is short and sweet and you may feel like you’re not really ready to go out and start policing (I know I did) but that’s where the degree will help you. The in-depth discussions and teaching that is provided at university will help you feel more confident.

First Shifts and Challenges

I did not feel prepared on my first shift, and this is completely normal! You are doing something you’ve never done before. However, I feel as though I am quite a sociable person so felt like I would be prepared to speak with members of the public although I do not think anything will prepare you for your first rude or quite aggressive encounters you can have with the members of the public and how you deal with those in a professional manner. You must remember that sometimes you will deal with people who are having the worst day of their lives, and you must show a level of respect and empathy towards them even if they have not been pleasant to you.

Future Career Aspirations

I plan to do some travelling once I leave university and then join Hampshire Constabulary as its closer to home for me and therefore also me to save some money for the future. However, in the future I would like to transfer back to Avon and Somerset.

I am open to specialise in a particular area although not sure what yet. However, I am really enjoying being a response officer at the moment. In the police you also have the opportunity to do attachments with specific areas within the force. This is good as you can almost try before you buy. I am hoping to become a full-time officer.

Advice for Future Specials

My advice would be to do it!

You are only required to do 16 hours a month which isn’t a lot and trust me you will want to do more than this anyway! They are extremely flexible for students who go home for university, as long as you make up the minimum hours within the year it doesn’t matter. It can be quite a daunting experience and quite long winded through the application stages but as soon as you start you will love it. Additionally, there is such a big support system, and if you are struggling or need help with anything there a people there to help you! I smashed my phone on the first day of training and I had a new one the next week so don’t worry about anything.

The regulars welcome Special’s with open arms as they need every set of hands they can get so don’t be worried about that. And don’t worry if you make a mistake because YOU WILL and that’s okay, everyone is understanding and will help you every step of the way.

I have honestly gained a huge respect for the police and what they do, it can be an incredibly stressful and risky job at times but is extremely rewarding. They do so much and are there to help everyone.

We look forward to further insights from Trinni Dagger in the final blog of this series.

Anyone interested in applying for the PPD can find out more information here

If you are also interested in joining the Special Constabulary, you can find out more information here

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

A New Blog Series from UWE Bristol: Inside the Professional Policing Degree & Special Constabulary

Author Paul Williamson | Posted on

Reflecting the diversity of the Policing Programmes on offer at UWE Bristol, in this new blog series we will hear from three professional policing students who have recently entered the final year of their degree programme. They reflect on their experiences studying on the Professional Policing Degree (PPD) and share their journeys through the successful application process to become Special Constables with Avon and Somerset Police (ASP).

They discuss what inspired them to join the PPD and take on the role of Special Constables, offering insights into each stage of the application process, from the online National Sift questionnaire to the medical assessments, fitness tests, vetting procedures, and the initial training delivered by ASP.

The students were also invited to compare their university education with the practical training provided by the force, exploring the relationship between academic theory and real-world policing practice. Finally, they share their individual reflections, and career aspirations for the future.

This blog series offers a personal and informative look into the student experience on the PPD and highlights the graduate outcomes that can emerge from the programme.

In this first of the series we hear from Harvey Rogers

Ever since I was young, I have always had an interest in the police and believe that there is no job better in the world. As soon as I found out there was a Professional Policing Degree Programme (PPD), there was no looking back. All throughout my childhood I have always wanted to join the firearms unit in the police and choosing the PPD programme was the first step to achieving that dream. The academic side of the course has been brilliant with helping my understanding of the police and when I am out responding to 999 calls as a Special Constable.

When I started my first year on the PPD course I didn’t even know the Special Constabulary existed! As soon as I found out I could do it alongside my academic learning at UWE I thought it would be a no brainer. I was being told stories about other people’s experiences with the Specials by others on the PPD course and thought it sounded amazing. When applying, one of the first stages to complete is the UK National Sift Process, which involves a Situational Judgement Test (SJT) and Behaviour Style Questions (BSQ), and is designed to assess whether applicants possess the core values and competencies required for policing. This stage was quite straightforward as the aim is to be as trueful to yourself as possible and to see whether you would be a great fit for the police.

After we completed this stage, we had a familiarisation event at Bridgwater Police Centre about the role we have applied for and what we can expect to happen next in the application process. We then had an interview with two police officers a few weeks after which were based on the core values of the police and examples of when we used the National Decision Model (NDM) and our real-life experiences. In my interview I mentioned that I was studying on the PPD programme, and they were really pleased to see young people having an interest in joining the police and agreed that doing it alongside my studies was a great idea. I then heard that I had passed my interview which then led me on to my health screening appointment, which is where I had my fingerprints taken, hair samples for drug testing and a few questions from the nurse at Occupational Health about my health and wellbeing. I then got invited to complete the bleep test which at the time was 5.2 but has now been decreased to 3.7. This was to test officer’s fitness levels which is a key part of the role when joining the police. After I had completed this, my application process had finished, and I was now ready to undertake my training.

The training was split up into 6 weekends (Saturday and Sunday every fortnight) which has now been increased up to 10 weekends. During our time at training school, we learnt key legislation in the classroom, Personal Protective Safety training (PPST) which is where we learn how to apply handcuffs, ASP and PAVA (pepper spray) correctly. We also had weekends where we were learning how to use all of our other kit such as airwave (radio), body worn camera and the key systems on our force laptop and phones and plenty of scenarios where we had to use our powers correctly which we had learnt over the 6 modules. A lot of this comes second nature to students on the PPD course which is brilliant as it also refreshed my memory with a lot of other key legislation.

Training school was great fun with a few evenings out to the pub as well as also practicing techniques we had learnt on our PPST weekends. Personally, my group was an amazing group and felt like a with very like-minded people who also had interests in joining the police alongside their full-time jobs. It was a great mix of students and young adults who were doing it alongside their university courses and their full-time jobs. Everyone had the same motivation to go out there and help protect the public and to improve the relationship between the public and the police with normal working people to help bridge the gap between.

The PPD programme has definitely given me a strong foundation for my role as a Special Constable especially if you want to get a feel for real life policing before applying to become a full-time police officer. The quality and depth of the university education and the in-force training by Avon and Somerset Police were both amazing, including many links to the College of Policing. I felt well prepared when talking around areas of stop and search and the powers involved as well as the custody process when taking a prisoner after they have been arrested. There are many areas where you learn quickly on the job which also can be the best times to learn as these were able to stick in my head.

Now I am going into my final year of the PPD I am looking at applying to become a full-time police officer in Avon and Somerset and have many areas of interest where I would like to specialise in such as Armed Response Unit or any of the Special Ops teams. Over the next few years, I would like to get to grounds with the job role and get as much experience as I can out on the front line before I look to specialise or go for a promotion as a sergeant.

My advice for other PPD students would be to sign up to become a Special Constable I feel like it was such a good decision to actually see whether I would actually like the job before I go full-time and feel it’s such a good way to try before you buy type of thing. It is also great for remembering legislation for uni assignments and being able to put real life scenarios down on paper. The experience of becoming a Special Constable has only made my desire to join the police even higher!

Our thanks to Harvey and we look forward to blogging further insights from Cece Delaney-Melville in the next of this series.

Anyone interested in applying for the PPD at UWE Bristol can find out more information here

If you are also interested in joining the Special Constabulary, you can find out more information here

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

Back to top