Almost 4,000 people visited the Thames Valley Police open day nearly double the number who attended last year.

The event was held in the grounds of Thames Valley Police Training Centre at Sulhamstead, near Reading, last Saturday. It is the fourth year the event has been run and the number of exhibits, stands and displays doubled those at previous events.

Chief Constable Sara Thornton officially opened the event in front of a large crowd of people. She said: “Members of the public that I spoke to were really interested to find out more about the variety of things we deal with day to day. “It was a chance for residents to meet the large number of specialist staff we have policing Thames Valley such as firearms officers, search officers, specialist search and rescue officers and dog handlers in addition to the neighbourhood officers who are more familiar. I also spoke to several young people who wanted to find out more about a career in Thames Valley Police.”

People of all ages visited the Museum, the Dog Section kennels and met officers and staff from specialist departments including the mounted section; air support with their helicopter; specialist search and rescue with their motor launch ‘Integrity’ and roads policing with a car, road safety van, motorbike and collision investigator’s vehicle.

They were joined by the Special Constabulary, the Police Volunteer Support Scheme, the charity Thames Valley Crimestoppers, crime reduction and a display of vintage police vehicles by Police Car UK.

The dog section put on two displays and the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Extrication Team showed how they get injured people safely out of cars after a collision. The firearms department also hosted four viewings of their Worlds Collide DVD, a film produced to warn young people on the dangers of replica firearms. The film was followed by a talk from a firearms officer.

As well as all the stalls and displays, there was a free tractor ride, an interactive murder scene, paint-balling with the army, free face painting and the chance to have your fingerprint put into a key ring and your mug-shot taken!

Ken Wells, Museum Curator, said: “The displays were the highlight of the event. The open day was once again extremely popular and people came from across the Thames Valley. I look forward to next year’s event and I am sure it will continue to be popular with people in the Thames Valley.”