Sixth formers grilled the Metropolitan Police Commissioner about human rights and hate preachers this morning.

The 100 pupils from St Dominic’s Sixth Form College, in Harrow-on-the-Hill, were given a talk from Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe about the work of the police and his career as an officer.

The teenagers asked the commissioner questions on a range of topics, including stop and search, human rights, the policing of hate preachers and the accountability of the Met.

Speaking to the Harrow Times after the session, Sir Bernard said: “I think all their questions were very insightful and very challenging, but they were prepared to listen to my answers and I hope I convinced them with those answers.

“For me it was a chance to show a different side to policing and so people understand what we do a how we do our job.

“I think it was also a chance for me to show the careers which are available out there and the different paths there are.

“It is nice to be able to get out and meet people with events like this as in my job it can quite difficult to engage with different communities.”

During his talk the commissioner explained he wanted to go into medicine but had not got the grades.

He eventually found his way into the police, in a job he says he “fell in love with”.

The school's head of government and politics, Charlie Barrowcliff said: “I think we had some great questions and I think the talk was a great chance for pupils to see a different side to police.

"Our pupils are concerned about issues affecting young people and it was really good to see so many of them wanting to engage and discuss those issues."

The talk was organised by charity Speakers for Schools, which organisers talks for pupils at more than 2,000 schools across the country form figures from different industries and backgrounds.