A police force that encouraged officers to “think like terrorists” has scooped a National Training Award.
Hertfordshire Constabulary scooped one of 51 awards handed out by UK Skills on behalf of the government in London last week.
The force’s anti-terrorism training encourages probationary constables to get into the mindset of terrorists as they plan countering an attack on a specified target.
Since the scheme was launched in 2004, more than half of Hertfordshire’s front-line officers have undergone the training.
Results have included the cracking of a credit card fraud ring and a confident response to the Buncefield oil depot explosion.
Thomas Cook Emergency Procedures also won an award, for training its call centre staff to deal with customers caught up in traumatic situations.
The team has expanded by more than 500% since the terror attacks of 9/11 and has travelled to Barbados after Hurricane Ivan and to Bangkok after the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004.
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Olympic silver medal-winning hurdler Colin Jackson presented the awards.
“Training in sport and business are very similar,” he said. “In both you can only achieve success if you develop your skills and are prepared to overcome hurdles to reach your goals.”
