The University of Lincoln to have its own dedicated police officer

The University of Lincoln will have a dedicated police officer on campus after a new partnership with Lincolnshire Police.

The newly-created post is part of the university’s “ongoing commitment to proactively look after the wellbeing of staff and students,”. This new initiative provides a fully-warranted police constable based permanently at the Brayford Wharf campus in Lincoln city centre.

The officer will attend open days and Freshers fayres, meetings with partners as well as community groups, hold drop-in sessions for staff and students, investigate crimes, work from intelligence to detect crime that may have otherwise gone undiscovered to bring offenders to justice, and apply a problem-solving approach to prevent incidents from happening.

via Hayden Pollard

The university said: “The new post will follow the same model that Lincolnshire Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Teams take, which is based around problem solving policing.

“The PC will be embedded within the university community, splitting office time between the Student Wellbeing Centre and the Student Support Centre. They will patrol on foot, push bike, and vehicle, around campus and out into the local community.”

This new post also aims to provide “further reassurance to the women and girls on campus that their safety is a number one priority for both the university and Lincolnshire Police.”

Inspector Claire Hime said: “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 – the students, us as a force, the local community – could benefit from a policing resource dedicated to policing what is essentially a small town fro a large part of the year.

“This is a model we have seen work well at other universities, and we’re excited to get started.”

The role is expected to start within the next month. “As the new role is funded by the University, there will be no shortfall in wider policing capacity,” the university said.

Jacqueline Mayer, Head of Student Services at the University of Lincoln, said: “The university now funding a dedicated police officer continues our excellent relationship with Lincolnshire Police.

“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.”

Featured image credit via Ethan Wilkinson on Unsplash.

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