Policing students learned the value of up-to-date investigative interviewing software at a recent residential school at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Port Macquarie.

Students from NSW, Queensland and Western Australia who are enrolled in the ‘Investigative Interviewing’ subject attended a residential study weekend held for the first time in Port Macquarie.

Key points:

• CSU offers innovative, quality online and face-to-face teaching and learning methods
• CSU provides cutting-edge teaching facilities with integrated technology in the classrooms
• Students develop strategic and tactical interviewing skills in immersive real-life scenarios

Mr Daren Jay, lecturer in the CSU Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security (AGSP&S), said police officers and detectives from three states worked together with CSU undergraduates to develop their strategic and tactical interviewing skills in immersive real-life interview scenarios.

“Students were able to take advantage of the integrated technology in the classrooms to undertake strategic interview planning exercises designed to test their ability to plan strategic interviews with suspects in various major crime scenarios, such as murder and arson,” Mr Jay said.

“For the first time, as part of formal course assessment, students were able to plan, conduct and evaluate interviews with suspects using the TILES System® interview management software, a solution currently being trialled by two police forces in the United Kingdom.

“It was a really productive weekend due to the Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security’s innovative teaching methods and the cutting-edge teaching facilities at Charles Sturt University in Port Macquarie.

“The students were able to fully exploit the technologies to advance their own learning and development.

“The University is at the forefront of innovative, quality online and face-to-face teaching and learning.

“We deliver collaborative learning experiences in which students are encouraged to find their way along their learning pathway while learning with others.

“This helps to future-proof students’ skill-sets by using cutting-edge technologies in the classroom.”

New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF) Senior Constable Amber Selvage who is currently studying the Bachelor of Policing said, “The face-to-face component was amazing. It allowed me to not only learn from the facilitators, but from other students as well. I would not hesitate to complete another weekend if I could!”

CSU student Ms Jayne Goodfellow said, “The structure of the weekend, for a civilian like me, encouraged me to become involved, to ask questions and learn from the more experienced students, none of which would have occurred if I did not attend the weekend”.

Learn more about the range of CSU AGSP&S courses.