Students join police for the day

YOUNG people took over Sussex Police, as part of a national campaign to get adults and children working together.
W48621H13 Sgt Jo Webb and PC Andy Price with Rafal Rosochacki and Ashleigh ClementsW48621H13 Sgt Jo Webb and PC Andy Price with Rafal Rosochacki and Ashleigh Clements
W48621H13 Sgt Jo Webb and PC Andy Price with Rafal Rosochacki and Ashleigh Clements

Worthing College student Lizzie Rennison, 16, had the chance to takeover from Inspector Allan Lowe and wear his uniform.

She and Luke Houghton, 14, who are both on Worthing Youth Council, spent a morning working with Insp Lowe at Shoreham Police Station.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lizzie explained: “We have been taking with the inspector about specifity focus, which is the things that you do to solve crimes in the police, such as team management.”

W48621H13 Sgt Jo Webb and PC Andy Price with Rafal Rosochacki and Ashleigh ClementsW48621H13 Sgt Jo Webb and PC Andy Price with Rafal Rosochacki and Ashleigh Clements
W48621H13 Sgt Jo Webb and PC Andy Price with Rafal Rosochacki and Ashleigh Clements

Luke, who goes to St Andrew’s High School in Worthing, found there was a lot more involved than he thought.

He added: “I was just imagining American films, but it is nothing like that. It is cosy.”

Lizzie agreed the atmosphere was friendly, which made the police more approachable for the youth.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She added: “It is not all serious, there are a lot of laughs. A lot of young people just brush the police off because they don’t know much about them.

“Coming here, you understand more and appreciate them more.”

Six students from the public services course at Shoreham Academy were also at Shoreham Police Station last Friday.

Ashleigh Clements, 18, said they had joined in the usual morning meeting, looking at crimes overnight, what happened and forensics.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They concentrated on vehicle thefts and looked at the general strategy and who police join up with to try to solve a crime.

Ashleigh, who is interested in joining the police herself, said: “They look at different evidence that you would not necessarily think of, like getting the fire service involved for car crime.

“They go into a lot more depth than you would imagine. A lot of different things are taken into consideration than you would necessarily think of.”

Rafal Rosochacki, 19, was surprised to learn the police use Twitter and Facebook on a regular basis.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ashleigh pointed out: “It is another way for them to connect with young people because it is more modern and so many young people use it.”

Suzi Reeve, Sussex Police’s communications manager for West Sussex, said some students were driven down to Shoreham Beach to visit an area where there had been a previous spate of vehicle crime.

“We got them to think about the environment and look at what sorts of things you can do to your home and its surrounding to make sure they are safe. It is much better to experience it.”

Related topics: