At the half-way point in the course, the students swap college for the street. They’ll spend two weeks out on field placement in their home towns observing police working on the beat. For the bright-eyed students it’s chance to experience policing at the coal face. Some may find the job so confronting they could choose to cut their careers short. Builder Mitch goes home to Newcastle. It’s Saturday night and the city’s become party central. A situation dramatically escalates as a group of drunks just won’t go home. It literally ends in tears as the OC spray is deployed and arrests are made. Nina gets her wish to work with juveniles. In Goulburn, a boy has been accused of breaking a car windscreen. When he refuses to give a statement Nina helps break the ice by showing him her favourite tattoo. Meanwhile, Frankie returns to hometown Fairfield where all is not what it seems. Something suspicious in a local park rings alarm bells for Frankie and the team.

• Rodger Corser