Thanks to a new partnership with Lincolnshire Police, the University of Lincoln will soon have a dedicated police officer who will be embedded within its community at the Brayford Wharf Campus.
The police constable (PC) will split their office time between the Student Wellbeing Centre and the Student Support Centre and will follow the “problem-solving policing model” employed by Lincolnshire Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Teams.
The university is funding the post for a fully-warranted PC as part of its ongoing commitment to proactively look after the wellbeing of students and staff, with this latest initiative complementing the suite of support services already in place which ranges from mental health provision to community outreach.
The PC will be part of the community, attending events (including open days and Freshers Fayres), holding drop-in sessions for students and staff and meeting with partners and community groups. They will have a regular patrol and work to investigate and detect crimes and apply a problem-solving approach to prevent incidents from happening.
The appointment also aims to provide further reassurance to the women and girls on campus that their safety is a top priority for both the university and Lincolnshire Police.
Jacqueline Mayer, Head of Student Services at the University of Lincoln, said: “We know this is a model that has worked very well at other universities and it will benefit our community both inside and outside the Brayford Pool campus.
“Not only will students have the reassurance of security and a familiar and friendly face, they will also have specific and practical help as well as the knowledge that both the university and the Police, working in partnership, have their best interests at heart.”
Inspector Claire Hime of Lincolnshire Police added: “We have always worked closely with the Student Services team at the University of Lincoln and as the size of the university has grown, it became clear that everyone could benefit from a policing resource dedicated to policing what is essentially a small town for a large part of the year.”