Nick Drewery
Nick is the driving force within the Criminology team. A former Police Officer, he has experience within Child Protection, working with vulnerable witnesses and as a Disclosure Officer with the Major Incident Team. He is currently working on a PhD in Visual Criminology.
Nick began his career with Humberside Police in 2000, spending two years in basic training before becoming a Tutor Constable responsible for overseeing the training of new recruits. Following this, he then moved into the Child Protection Unit, carrying out complex work as a Vulnerable Witness Skills Officer for crime victims in association with social services and the courts. This work gave Nick the experience to join the Major Incident Team as a Disclosure Officer.
Nick made the move into teaching after joining the Hull College Public Services team. He then decided to go to university to study for a BA (Hons) in Criminology with a focus on Cybercrime and FdA Crime and Community Safety, which was completed alongside his teacher training.
His dissertation was written on the subject of safeguarding children online, and for his research Nick was invited to Westminster to discuss and agree government policy to protect young people on the web, an achievement which makes Nick is incredibly proud.
With his degree in hand, he came to Bishop Burton College and quickly became a key member of the Criminology department. Here, he teaches a range of modules, including Social Research (Level 4 and Level 6), Drugs and Society (Level 5), Victimology (Level 5), Contemporary Criminology (Level 6), and Homicide (Level 6).
Nick’s special interest is forensics, particularly the role of photography within society, and how increased reliance on photographic technology impacts our communities.
He continues to draw upon his experience working in the police, giving his students invaluable knowledge:
“I feel my extensive experience within the police has really informed and enhanced my teaching of Criminology, as it allows me to relay to my students real-world examples of relevant situations.”
“My links and experience with the police also help me to guide learners down that pathway, and I enjoy seeing many of my students go into the police and forge interesting, exciting careers. My main focus as a teacher is to help students build resilience, a key attribute for working in this sector.”
“Criminology at Bishop Burton really is exceptional; small class sizes create a friendly, close-working teaching environment that allows for deep discussions and an overall top-quality learning experience. There is a community feel here. I also like to make my courses fun!
Thinking about the future of policing, Nick has chosen to undertake a PhD in Visual Criminology, an area which considers how images shape public perceptions of crime. He will also be working alongside the police to develop the new policing degree for September 2023 in partnership with Humberside Police.