Police officer helps students with geography project

A POLICE officer went back to school to help students with a geography project which looks at the way location affects crime.
PC Mike Smooker, crime preventions officer has been visiting Mellow Lane in Hewen's Road, Hayes over two weeks to talk about the ways in which crime can be reduced as part of their topic called designing out crime.
Neelam Virdee, geography teacher at the school, said: "Mike has been coming into the school to talk about crime in hot spot areas and how to reduce it. The pupils came up with lots of interesting ideas like reducing the amount of shrubs in such areas to decrease muggings as criminals won't be able to hide in them and they also suggested additional CCTV cameras. The project has given students the chance to collaborate and to think about ways in which they can improve their environment.'
Mr Smooker said: "The students came up with some innovative ideas, one of the things we looked was how by changing the design of a public bench to individual seats you can make it less attractive to vandalism and drunks. It was a good project for the children because it has made them more aware of the way crime affects their area."