Students study justice system, see many sights in London

In addition to studying England’s criminal justice and legal systems, students participated in cultural activities such as touring Brasenose College at the University of Oxford and visiting the birthplace of Shakespeare at Stratford-Upon-Avon. They also visited the university town of Cambridge and Warwick Castle, which dates back to the 11th century and contains a medieval dungeon and waxwork figures portraying medieval and Victorian societies.

Students toured the working stable of the Metropolitan Police Kings Cross Mounted Branch, which specializes in keeping public order. The branch is involved with disorder, crowd dynamics, major events and ceremonies.

Police are more noticeable on horses and often the sight of them is effective in reducing tension, the visitors were told. “A mounted officer is as good as six officers on foot,” said Dave Oliver of the mounted branch.

The branch gets its horses as four-year-olds and they are operational by age six. The horses serve about 15 years until they are about 20 years old. Physical characteristics vary among their horses, but they must be tall. The shortest is about 16 hands high at the withers, Oliver said.

The right temperament is the most important trait, he said, because the horses are put in unnatural situations where they could be spooked.

The horses are groomed every day and fed three times a day. Their iron shoes wear down quickly on the hard surfaces and are replaced about every two weeks. The horses go out for at least two hours a day and may be out for eight hours with an officer on their back.

Students also toured the Lambeth Emergency Centre and viewed new communication technology. The center houses the Metropolitan Police Central Communications Command Headquarters and Special Operations Room.

The CCC is the largest operational command unit in the United Kingdom and provides Londoners with emergency police response service. They receive about 10 million emergency and non-emergency calls and e-mails every year. By 2010 the number is expected to increase to more than 23 million calls and e-mails. Calls are increasing because of more cell phones which allow for easier contact to police, said Christopher Russell of the CCC.

Students sat in on court cases at the Highbury/Islington Magistrates Court and Old Bailey Crown Courts.

District Judge Baker of the Magistrates Court gave the students an overview of their court process.

“The law is changing fast,” Baker said. There is a widening use of police-fixed penalty notices with a move away from courts criminal proceedings. Only 3 percent of all proceedings go to a higher court,” he said.

The group also visited New Scotland Yard, the Metropolitan Police Training Academy, the Metropolitan Police Charing Cross Division, Wormwood Scrubs prison and HM Prison Pentonville. They had a legal studies walking tour around the Inns of Court and a “Jack the Ripper” walking tour of London’s old East end where the unsolved murders took place.

Students could also participate in weekend trips to Edinburgh, Scotland, and Paris, France.

Even though prices on retail items are comparable to the United States, the exchange rate from U.S. dollars to United Kingdom pounds was about 2.095, making shopping in the U.K. more expensive for Americans. One hundred U.S. dollars were worth about 47 local equivalent pounds.

Students who participated:

David Andersen, Chadron; Robbie Anderson and Katrina Mundt, Alliance; Bobbi Bath, Douglas, Wyo.; Heather Canarecci and Carol Walker, Cheyenne, Wyo.; Kimberly Chadwick, Oshkosh; Matt Crider and Jacob Finerty, Hesperia, Calif.; Brian Drinkwalter, Crawford; Dusty Ginsbach, Buffalo, S.D.; Adam Hoesing, Mullen; Chisholm McDonald, Sturgis, S.D.; Jeromy Naslund, Golden, Colo.; Katie Osten, Carroll, Neb.; Rachael Roath, Westminster, Colo.; and Deann Stearns, Edgemont, S.D.