Welcoming Swedish IT-trainees to Charing Cross Police Station on Thursday 23rd February 2023
IEB Secretary-General May-Britt V. R. Ronnebro and colleagues from Vaxjo’s Linnaeus University brought a delegation of 39 Swedish National Police IT-trainees to the UK for the week to learn about British policing. The London Policing College arranged for activities with the University of West London and neighbouring Metropolitan Police Colleagues in Ealing for the first two days. On Day 3, IPA Section UK’s London Reception Officer, Alex Williams, treated the group to a superb immersive itinerary which showcased policing in London today and through its rich history.
The day began with a presentation for the group from Professor Lawrence Sherman, the Metropolitan Police’s newly appointed Scientific Officer, arranged by May-Britt. From there Alex took over, arranging lunch (other supermarkets are available!) for our Swedish guests, with a number of officers from various departments at Charing Cross invited to come along for a chat. It went really well, so well in fact, it was hard to stop them talking to move the programme on to the afternoon activities.
The afternoon saw the group split into two, with one group visiting the Great Scotland Yard Mounted Branch stables, where PC Emma Greening gave a wonderful tour of the stables and insight into the working of the department. The second group were given a tour of Charing Cross Police Station by Alex, which included response teams, MIST teams, neighbourhood policing teams and the (overflow) custody suite.
Alex was ably assisted by London North IPA members Alex Scott and Keiran Portman who got out the public order kit and had the students ‘kitting up’ in the back yard, which they loved.
The day concluded with the whole group being taken to the hidden gem that is the Bow Street Museum, in the building that formerly housed both Bow Street Police Station and Bow Street Magistrates Court. The museum and its two members of staff, Vicki and Ciara, oozed fascinating police history from every pore. Vicky took one half of the group for a short walking-history tour of Bow Street, while Ciara helped them understand the history behind Bow Street Magistrates Court and its famous ‘runners’, as well as life in the police station and its preserved cell block. It was fascinating. I wish I had known about this museum when I did my MSc and will definitely be bringing BSc Policing students here to soak up the history.
This wonderful day culminated in Alex being presented with a few ‘thank yous’ on behalf of the group. And thoroughly well-deserved as he had organised and led a most superb day, enjoyed by all involved…trainees, group leaders and helpers alike. “The Way Old Friends Do” (ABBA, 1980) seems very appropriate for this lovely visit, brought about the ability of the IPA to bring policing together.
Karen Duckworth, 7 Region, Thames Valley Branch