SHOPLIFTERS were wise to steer clear of a city centre indoor shopping centre today.

An extra police presence was evident at The Bridges, in Sunderland, as trainees from the North-East Centre for Policing Skills (NECPS), at Aykley Heads, Durham, put their training into practice.

The student officers are undergoing basic training at the centre, which serves the region’s police forces.

Around a dozen officers, all in the first three months of their training, had to deal with several staged incidents, ranging from anti-social behaviour to shoplifting.

Local college students acted as volunteer ‘criminals’, as the would-be PCs went on patrol for the first time.

They were overseen by fully qualified police officers, who were also on hand in case any genuine incidents took place.

It was part of an exercise allowing the trainee constables to experience life ‘on the beat’ in a city centre environment.

Chief Inspector Simon Packham, of the NECPS, said: "This has been a fantastic opportunity for student officers to put the training they’ve had over the past few months into practice.

"It has given them a real taste of what it’s like to be a police officer in a public arena and how to deal with situations under pressure.

"They will be able to take these experiences back to the training centre and work on how they can develop further."

Inspector Neal Craig, who oversees neighbourhood policing in Sunderland city centre, said: "Good policing starts with good training and nothing can prepare police officers more than dealing with incidents in a real environment.

"The fact some of these officers will end up working in the city makes the situation even more real for them, and, we welcome their assistance in providing extra patrols for the day."

Initial training for a new constable runs for two years, with student officers spending a period at the NECPS, before joining regional forces.