FUTURE police officers studying at the University of Chester’s Padgate campus hardly have time to bury their heads in textbooks.

The policing course focuses on giving practical experience as well as academic qualifications, which is why we found ourselves watching a group of smiling first year students rummaging through the contents of their lecturer’s car glove box in search of stolen jewels when we joined them for a session on searching premises with a warrant.

Before the mock raid on a dedicated crime house, which sits among student halls on campus, 19-year-old Joshua Cresswell took charge of the team briefing and talked his classmates through the operation.

The experience is treated seriously by both students and lecturers, who have even organised a van for the youngsters to pile into for authenticity. 

After a short journey it lurches to a stop outside the crime house and Joshua hands over a sample search warrant to a staff member pretending to be the home owner before the group scour the house for fake drugs and jewellery.

The programme is now in its third year and led by former police officers who have spent decades working in every area of the force, from counter terrorism to road and transport.

And lecturers Mike Parsons and Richard Hill, who organised the mock raid, are clearly very proud of their enthusiastic students.

Mike said: “It’s more fun because it’s practical experience. We try to add realism to the course. We know where to hide things because we have done this sort of thing for real.

“It’s about communication and dealing with stressful situations. The more practical experience you get, the easier it becomes.

“One of the first times we did this, the students were so enthusiastic they ran up to the leader when they found something in the house to show them. You wouldn’t do that it real life of course.”

Perhaps surprisingly, there are more female students on the course than boys, with many of the youngsters already applying to become special constables in preparation for graduation.

But Mike pointed out that the skills they teach – including teamwork, communication and investigation – are important for other jobs and many graduates land careers at the National Crime Agency, Independent Police Complaints Commission and prison services.

Students also have access to the university’s immersive HYDRA suite, which can simulate real life incidents such as a far right march by the English Defence League.

A 38-year-old mature student on the course, who also runs her own business and asked not to be named, said: “It’s really good, everyone treats me the same and nobody treats me like the older one. 

“As a mum, coming back to studying means I’m doing something for myself – to give myself an academic background. My children love it, they love to hear about what I’ve been learning.”

And Joshua added: “It was really fun but it was hard to keep an eye on the woman who was pretending to be a suspect. None of us were nervous before we started the exercise, we were excited. 

“I looked at three different universities for policing. But here you have the crime house for practical learning and you get more one on one help from the tutors. And all of us get along really well.”