Putting the 22-year veteran of the Metropolitan Police in the classroom not only helped to better inform the Public Service students of a potential career path but also left them with insights to help on their coursework.
By Omar Alleyne-Lawler, Communications Manager
Currently responsible for 400 officers across Tower Hamlets; Chief Inspector Dominic Nye took time to share some of his public order experiences with a mixed class of Level 2 & 3 Public Service students.
Having missed a session earlier this year, CI Nye was keen to catch up, meet and talk with Waltham Forest College’s learners. This excitement was met with an equally engaged class, many of whom had already set their sights on a future career in the Met.
CI Nye delivered his talk on public order policing to a mixture of level two and level three Public Service students at Waltham Forest College
Initially joining the force in the early 2000’s, Nye shared stories from his days as an Armed Responder, Medic, Bronze Public Order Commander, Instructor and Public Responder. Having worked in Haringey, Hackney and now Tower Hamlets, he shared with students his understanding of public order policing and helped to clear up any misconceptions about the role.
Students learned that public order policing is not only about riots and shutting down raves, but also means keeping the peace at the FA Cup or during the changing of the guard.
CI Nye’s range of experiences also helped him explain to students the similarities across all police roles, but also how their careers can differ depending on responsibilities and as society and technology develop.
This led to an interesting Q&A session with CI Nye and the Public Order students who wanted to know about everything from pay, training and how to handle taking orders, to leadership, mindset preparation and handling media criticism.
Waltham Forest College’s Public Service lecturer, Emeka Egbuonu also got involved. With students needing time to think of questions, Emeka helped shape the conversation so that students could apply CI Nye’s insights to their current coursework.
Currently focusing on the role practitioners play in public services, graduates of Waltham Forest College’s Public Service course can go into full employment or further study at university.
Reflecting on the event, some level two students were happy it happened as they are “all about policing”, with level three encouraged in their decision to chase a policing career.
By being able to develop engagement, mentoring and youth programme works simultaneously with these sessions, Hope in Tottenham is proud of their involvement in bringing working professional face to face with students aspiring to work with them.