Semester 1 – From crime scene to court
Immersing yourself in our realistic crime scene you will form investigative hypotheses, interview live suspects, and develop policing skills to solve a murder scenario.
Module PPD 5001. Crime scenes and suspect Interviews
In this module students will investigate a simulated serious crime scenario. Starting from a real-life or virtual reality crime scene students will secure the area, collect samples for forensic analysis, look at the wider collection of evidence from victims, witnesses, CCTV etc. and interview a suspect in real time using the PEACE model of police interviewing. This will help to dispel any myths about the investigation process that you may have from watching police TV and film dramas and to concentrate on the significant issues associated with investigator bias, forensic capture, and witness capability.
Module PPD 5002. No witness, no justice
The complexities associated with victim and witness evidence and the care required when dealing with them are demonstrated and analysed. Personal communication skills and the ability to manage inter-personal conflict in a professional manner will be addressed practically and theoretically.
Module PPD 5003. Delivering justice
No policing degree can be complete without a detailed understanding of the UK criminal justice system and the role of the police within it. Students will look at a crime and take it through the criminal justice process, the Crown Prosecution Service, a simulated Magistrates and Crown Court, and look at prison and probation as well the often-neglected role of the police with Her Majesties’ Coroner when seeking to understand why and how a person has died.
Semester 2 – The ethics of the police
The police service operates in a risky environment with the need for fast paced but high-quality decision making. You will work through real-life case studies where the police have caused the death of a member of the public to enhance your decision-making capabilities under stress.
Module PPD5004. Managing critical incidents
The police service operates in a risky environment with the need for fast paced but high-quality decision making. The presence near Plymouth of a Naval dockyard, Critical National Infrastructure, a football club, and well-known rave sites, gives ample opportunity to experientially examine the National Police Decision Model and its links to the Code of Ethics. Students will also look at policing protests and the discretion available to the police during such critical incidents. We will use real-life case studies where the police have caused the death or serious injury of a member of the public to dissect the heuristic nature of police decision making.
Module PPD 5005. Equality and diversity and human rights
This module will build on the policing communities work from year one and take a more detailed and nuanced look at those communities who are perceived as 'other', especially in rural environments. How is it possible to improve community cohesion and the quality of police service offering to those who are marginalised or neglected by public services across the peace? The lived experiences of Black and Minority ethnic, LGBTQ+, faith, disabled, and travelling communities will be explored through the involvement of members of those communities.
Module PPD 5006. Research and methodology skills
This module will develop your enquiring mindset and equip you with the essential skills of an academic researcher in preparation for your dissertation. It will look at the importance of evidence-based policing and the benefits and pitfalls associated with qualitative and quantitative, inductive and deductive research methods.
-
Crime Scenes and Suspect Interviews (PPD5001)
In this module students will investigate a simulated serious crime scenario. Starting from a real-life or virtual reality crime scene students will secure the area, collect samples for forensic analysis, look at the wider collection of evidence from victims, witnesses, CCTV etc and interview a suspect in real time using the PEACE model of police interviewing. This will help to dispel any myths about the investigation process from watching police TV and film dramas and concentrates on the significant issues associated with investigator bias, forensic capture, and witness capability.
-
No Witness, No Justice (PPD5002)
In this module the complexities associated with victim and witness evidence and the care required when dealing with them are demonstrated and analysed. Personal communication skills and the ability to manage inter-personal conflict in a professional manner will be addressed practically and theoretically.
-
Delivering Justice (PPD5003)
No policing degree can be complete without a detailed understanding of the UK criminal justice system and the role of the police within it. Students will look at a crime and take it through the criminal justice process, the Crown Prosecution Service, a simulated Magistrates and Crown Court, and look at prison and probation as well the often-neglected role of the police with Her Majesties’ Coroner when seeking to understand why and how a person has died.
-
Managing Critical Incidents (PPD5004)
The police service operates in a risky environment with the need for fast paced but high-quality decision making. The presence near Plymouth of a Naval dockyard, Critical National Infrastructure, a football club, and well-known rave sites, gives ample opportunity to experientially examine the National Police Decision Model and its links to the Code of Ethics. Students will also look at policing protests and the discretion available to the police during such critical incidents. We will use real-life case studies where the police have caused the death or serious injury of a member of the public to dissect the heuristic nature of police decision making.
-
Equality, Diversity and Human Rights (PPD5005)
This module builds on the Policing Communities work from stage 1 and takes a more detailed and nuanced look at those communities who are perceived as “other”, especially in rural environments. How is it possible to improve community cohesion and the quality of police service offering to those who are marginalised or neglected by public services across the peace? The lived experiences of Black and Minority ethnic, LGBTQ+, faith, disabled, and travelling communities will be explored through the involvement of members of those communities.
-
Research and Methodology Skills (PPD5006)
This module will develop the student’s enquiring mindset and equip them with the essential skills of an academic researcher in preparation for the final year dissertation. It will look at the importance of evidence-based policing and the benefits and pitfalls associated with qualitative and quantitative, inductive and deductive research methods.