Business Engagement brings opportunity for forensics student

26 June 2012

As a result of LJMU’s positive working relationship with Cheshire Police, a LJMU student is about to start an 8 week project at Police headquarters in Winsford.

LJMU has established a partnership with Cheshire Police that last year saw the two organisations jointly design and develop the LJMU Postgraduate Certificate in Forensic CCTV analysis, a unique offering to Police and security professionals in the UK and overseas.

Partly as a result of this successful collaboration, the Commercial and International Directorate's Business Development team were recently approached to look into ways in which to support efficiencies that the North West Association of Chief Police Officers (NWACPO) was looking to implement.

Discussions highlighted the opportunity for an LJMU Forensic Science student to contribute to NWACPO’s initiatives. This would not only help NWACPO to deliver its goals and further cement LJMU's relationship with the organisation, it would provide a LJMU student with a once in a lifetime opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge developed at LJMU in a live, working environment.

Dr Suzzanne McColl, Forensic Science Programme Lead, managed the student application process. A shortlist of six LJMU Forensic Science students were interviewed by Inspector Hugh Owen, Head of Forensic Investigations, and Inspector Caroline Fenner, North West Director of Forensic Services of Cheshire Police at Winsford Police Headquarters.

Cheshire Police were extremely impressed with all of the interviewees, eventually selecting John Cunningham as the successful candidate. Inspector Owen was delighted with both the quality and enthusiasm of the candidates, saying, "All the candidates displayed an intimate knowledge and understanding of our forensic data requirements giving us complete confidence that any one of them would have both the ability and aptitude for the tasks ahead."

David Rutt, LJMU Business Development Manager, said, "The calibre of the students put forward for this project reflects positively on the Forensic Science department here at LJMU. This is an excellent example of how engagement with organisations brings multiple benefits to the University, sometimes generating income to be reinvested into teaching and learning and sometimes directly adding to the student experience. I am confident that John will learn a huge amount from this project and be able to contribute to the delivery of NWACPO's objectives."

For more information, contact David Rutt on 07968422498 or email: D.M.Rutt@ljmu.ac.uk