Charnwood Borough Council - Leading in Leicestershire

As the start of the new university term begins a major campaign to promote student safety and crime prevention is being launched by the police, Charnwood Borough Council and Loughborough University.

‘Operation Jolly’ is aimed at new students arriving in Loughborough for the first time. During Freshers Week, which starts on Monday 24 September, police officers and security staff from the University will be visiting all students living in Halls of Residence to talk to them about crime prevention and personal safety.

3,500 student crime prevention packs have been prepared to give to students at various events during the first weeks of term including the Freshers Bazaar. The pack contains a property registration form, crime reduction leaflets and security stickers which remind students to ‘LOCK it UP, SHUT it UP, Leave it Safe.’

Extra officers will be patrolling during the day and in the evenings targeting areas that are popular with students. They’ll be talking to and engaging with students to offer help and reassurance during their first few days of term.

During their patrols, officers will be putting coasters with crime prevention advice through open windows and doors and they will be giving out plastic cards containing emergency contact numbers for the University, council and police

Throughout the coming weeks, the police will also be forensically marking property such as laptops and mobile phones and they will be post coding bicycles.

PC 1193 Dave Bliss, whose beat covers the University, said; “For many students it is their first time away from home and for some it is their first time in this country. Most first year students don’t have any knowledge or experience of crime reduction measures and that, coupled with the fact that many of them will have computers, stereos, ipods and mobiles phones can make them a target for crime. By working together with the council and the University we have been able to put together a comprehensive crime prevention programme which I hope will give students the information they need to have a safe and happy time studying in Loughborough.”

A crime prevention evening has already been held in Loughborough for landlords of private rented accommodation to help them make their properties safer.

Cllr David Snartt, Cabinet Lead for Community Safety from Charnwood Borough Council, said: “It’s important that we work with the students, police and university to ensure that people feel safe and secure. This will give the students a warm welcome to Charnwood, knowing that there are people out there who care about them, their well-being and their belongings.”

Roger Kennedy, Head of Security at Loughborough University said; "The University and Student Union work exceptionally hard to provide all new students with the information they need to help them settle into University life as quickly, smoothly and safety as possible. Operation Jolly is a significant part of this and an important joint working initiative. As well as visiting all students in halls to provide advice and guidance the university will also be resuming its security patrols off campus to supplement the extra officers being provided by the Police and the University patrols will continue throughout the academic year."