University to Benefit from Dedicated Police Officer Support

The University of Lincoln, UK, will soon have a dedicated Police Officer, thanks to a new partnership with Lincolnshire Police.

The University will be funding the post for a fully-warranted Police Constable (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 embedded within the University community at the Brayford Wharf Campus – splitting 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 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.” 

As the new role is funded by the University, there will be no shortfall in wider policing capacity. The new Police Constable will work alongside the local Neighbourhood Policing Team which already deals with incidents affecting students.

This is a way to focus efforts to improve the impact on crime, and provide a single point of contact for students, staff, and the local community. They will still be directly employed by Lincolnshire Police and will remain in close contact with the local Neighbourhood Policing Teams, Response colleagues, and other specialist teams.

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 – the students, us as a Force, the local community – could benefit from a policing resource dedicated to policing what is essentially a small town for 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.