The University of Lincoln is getting a dedicated police officer

The University of Lincoln will soon have a dedicated police officer thanks to a new partnership with Lincolnshire Police.

The University is funding the newly-created post as part of its ongoing commitment to proactively look after the wellbeing of staff and students, with this latest initiative complementing a suite of support services ranging from mental health provision to community outreach.

In turn, we will provide a fully-warranted Police Constable based permanently at the Brayford Wharf Campus in Lincoln city centre.

The new post will follow the same model that our Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) take, which is based around “problem-solving policing”.

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 which may have otherwise gone undiscovered to bring offenders to justice, and apply a problem-solving approach to prevent incidents from happening.

Don’t worry – the appointment will not lead to a shortfall in policing in the wider Force. The role is an additional post, which will work alongside the local Neighbourhood Policing Team which already deals with incidents affecting students, as well as community outreach.

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 for a large part of the year.

"This is a way to focus efforts to improve the impact on crime, and provide a single point of contact for staff, students, and the local community. The officer will still be directly employed by us and will remain in close contact with the local NPTs, Response colleagues, and other specialist teams.

“This is very much a partnership, with the benefit of the full support of the Force as needed. This is a model we have seen work well at other universities, and we’re excited to get started.”

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. The appointment 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.

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

The role is expected to start within the next month.