Students benefit from firearms officers visit

Hopwood Hall students welcomed a visit from firearms officers

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Firearms officers from team SO2, part of the force-wide special operations unit, visited groups of Uniformed Public Services students at Hopwood Hall College to offer careers advice and guidance.

The students, who are studying to one day work in the public services themselves, were given the opportunity to view and handle some of the specialist equipment that’s used in modern policing.

The equipment SO2 brought with them included firearms, a ballistic bag, method of entry equipment, ballistic shields, body armour, emergency medical equipment and a trauma bag/defibrillator.

Officers also held a Q+A with the students - many of them from Oldham - to give the next generation of fire, police and military personnel the best guidance on how to further themselves in these careers.

Such an opportunity to quiz real armed police officers on how to join such an elite force proved to be popular among the attending students.

“Being able to speak to professionals already working in this industry has been great,” said UPS student, Leah Johnson.

“It’s been helpful to hear first-hand what we have to do to be a success in this field. It was also really encouraging to see a female police officer being a positive role model for me and my fellow female students.”

Anthony Smith, one of the UPS Tutors at Hopwood Hall College, added to his students’ thoughts.

“Our students will have got a lot back from this enriching experience," he said.

"The police officers giving their time to the students has really helped our learners focus on their ambitions while giving them new found motivation.

“The officers answered a range of questions from how to become a Firearms Officer to fitness requirements and training regimes.

"It’s insights into their real lives that will really give the students a good idea of what they must do to achieve their ambitions.”