Some of the best stories come from a throwaway line and this was a classic. We were covering a training exercise for police recruits in Scarborough and one of the organisers said that they showed Life On Mars as an example of how NOT to do modern policing. While we stressed that it was not how to conduct modern policing a few of the senior press officers, who were themselves serving detectives from the 1970s, took exception because they thought it reflected badly on their years of service. Still it made a decent tale…

A TOP 1970s cop show is being used by new police recruits in Scarborough as a training video – as an example of how not to do their jobs.

Life on Mars, which has just finished its second series on the BBC, is shown to the latest batch of student officers – including two who will be based in Scarborough – who were in the town centre for a day to deal with realistic situations.

Jack Woodhams, the community engagement co-ordinator, said Life On Mars was shown to the trainees as part of their training.

He said: “It shows police officers with attitudes and behaviour that have no place in modern policing. That is why we have shown it to the recruits, as an example of what they should not be doing.”

This was the second time the town had been used by tutors from York St John University College because their first visit last October was such a success.

Chief Supt Sue Day, the Malton-based commander for the Eastern area, said: “I just think it’s really good they are out in the community. If they are dealing with an incident they attract attention.

“Everything that I’ve seen is what I’d expect to see. They are day-to-day incidents that they’d be called out to. There is nothing that they wouldn’t expect to deal with when they start.”

The incidents included a public order situation, mental health issues, a missing child and theft. They were at locations in the town centre, the Brunswick Shopping Centre and the railway station.

PC Harriet Green, 21, will be based in Scarborough in two weeks time after she has finished her initial training. She said: “I’ve always wanted to do it, there are lots of different things you can do in the police, it’s not a nine to five job.”

She said she would eventually like to be a detective and had already visited Scarborough. She said: “I came for my community placement in February. It is different and seems nice.”

Tutor PC Laura Carroll, said her student was doing “very well” and role play situations with members of the public was a good way to train.

She said: “It gives them the opportunity to practice what they’ve learnt at college. They are dealing with real people.”

PC Rebecca Lalor, 28, will also be based in the town and has lived here for the past four years. She said the role play incidents were useful as part of her training because she had to deal with real people.

She said: “It’s good to talk to people while wearing the police uniform. I was pretty nervous this morning. It’s nice to know I am going to be seeing these people again.”

She said being older than other trainees, who are in their early 20s, was an advantage. She said: “I’ve had some work experience. It’s helped me deal with tricky situations.”

The student officers will be posted to stations across North Yorkshire in two weeks time and the situations they will have to face will all be real.

From the Scarborough Evening News on Monday, May 21, 2007.