Police are inviting people to ridealong with an officer.

Anyone interested in knowing more about the day-to-day life of police officers has the chance to do just that.

They are invited by Hertfordshire Constabulary to join a local officer on a ridealong.

This is a scheme which is open to anyone to accompany a safer neighbourhoods officer or an intervention officer on a shift.

To qualify, they need to be over 18 years old but 16 or 17-year-olds can also apply as long as their parent/guardian gives consent in writing.

Barry Burningham, deputy headteacher at Nobel School in Chells, Stevenage took a trip out with PC Hal Palmer.

He said later: “It was a fantastic experience. It was really nice to see the way our safer neighbourhoods officer Hal polices and builds relationships around the community, particularly with young people. It was also really nice to see the way young people reacted positively to him.

“My ridealong was also really exhilarating as we were attending lots of 999 calls that required an immediate response.

“The whole experience gave me a real understanding of the many and varied types of calls and incidents our police have to deal with. It gave me a whole new appreciation of what our police officers do day-to-day.”

For more information about the ridealong scheme, contact co-ordinator Irene Ilott by emailing Irene.ilott@herts.pnn.police.uk or ring 01438 757026.