STUDENTS studying criminal justice at Wiltshire College had the chance to become rioters for the day as they took part in a demonstration with Wiltshire Police.

The 13 Higher National Diploma students joined officers for the riot exercise to learn how they deal with real life public order situations using the old college building at Chippenham campus.

Criminal Justice lecturer Lily Raynor: “For the students, this experience enabled them to see the police carrying out specialist tasks and training which ceases the rioters’ effectiveness.

“The students gained an insight into the hard work and determination it takes to be a police officer trained to attend any form of public order.

“This is an experience that they would not have been able to gain anywhere else and was a special occasion for students who study and aim to work within the criminal justice system after their course.”

The students were given a range of different scenarios to carry out, including hiding in dark corridors and cupboards and acting violently before taking part in a large exercise which spanned all three levels of the former campus building.

Laura Higgins, aged 17, from Westbury, said: “The officers were extremely professional at all times considering the fact we were giving all we could to provoke them.

“I don’t think there is any other situation where you can act as we did towards a police officer and get away with it.

“We experienced first-hand, although obviously in a controlled environment, how the police would deal with situations such as this.

“I personally, have seen so much bad press about how the police act in situations such as riots, but this experience showed a completely different light on the whole scenario for me.

“The media do not, I feel, show the build up to perhaps a mistake or error which could potentially change public perceptions; they really aren’t the enemy.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon session where the students acted as rioters and hid from the officers.

“I use the term hid lightly because we were always going to be found due to their methodical approach.

“I am keeping my fingers crossed for more experiences like this with the police.

“It was definitely the best experience of the course so far.”