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In one module, we executed a warrant and made an arrest using the crime scene house.
Gaining confidence through practical experience
I’ve always liked helping people, so policing felt like a natural path. I originally looked at universities further away, but USW was close enough to home that I could live independently while still seeing my family. I attended an Open Day and remember using the Hydra simulation - it was based around policing and helped me understand what the course involved.
We don’t do a formal placement on the course, but the Hydra suite and crime scene house are brilliant. In one module, we executed a warrant and made an arrest using the crime scene house. Hydra acted as a base where we gathered intel, filled out paperwork and interviewed suspects. It really mirrors how the job would work in real life, and those experiences have been my favourite part of the course.
Find your courseLooking ahead to a career in CID
One of the projects I’m most proud of is my dissertation on criminal profiling. I’ve always been fascinated by how investigators can work backwards from a crime scene to understand what the offender was thinking. Writing about something I was genuinely passionate about made a big difference, and it felt like an achievement that was properly mine.
In the future, I’d love to work in CID - particularly in homicide or with the canine unit. To fully set yourself up for your own goals in policing, my advice for new students is to be yourself and make the most of everything on offer. Take every opportunity to learn and experience that you can.
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Interested in Criminology, Policing and Public Services?
We offer a diverse set of criminology courses with a broad range of topics to study, from gang warfare, gun cultures and youth justice, to how crime is reported in the media allowing you to choose modules that reflect your interests.