Police in Derry City & Strabane are working with partners to ensure new and returning students do all they can to keep themselves safe while studying and living in the city.
Working in partnership with Ulster University and Derry and Strabane Policing & Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), Chief Inspector Yvonne McManus says the priority is the safety of students and well-being of the wider local community.
Chief Inspector Yvonne McManus said: "We want to do all we can to make sure students know local police are here to help. Our student safety campaign provides crime prevention advice directly to students and across our social media channels.
“Our officers will be visible and accessible in the local community, reinforcing these messages and ensuring that we are there when needed. We want students who are here to have a positive experience of living in the city, part of which is to be aware of their own safety and how we and our partners can help them."
Chair of Derry and Strabane PCSP, Councillor Darren Guy said: “Our priority is to keep new and returning students safe so they can fully enjoy their academic experience in our wonderful city.
“We will continue to engage with our partners in education, police, housing, business and health to look after our student population. We have a dedicated team Community Safety Wardens working in the educational precinct who have years of experience dealing with student issues and they will support our students as they integrate fully into our community.”
Duncan Morrow, Director of Community Engagement at Ulster University added: “We’re looking forward to welcoming first year students to the university and encourage all to enjoy Freshers’ Week.
"We recognise for our first year students this is a particularly exciting time – for many of you it will be the first time that you’ve lived away from home and been solely responsible for your own safety.
"We want to encourage all our students to enjoy student life and their time here at Ulster University, but to do so safely. We would ask students to be mindful that taking care of themselves and their own safety is a big responsibility but also to be assured that there is support and advice out there from the Police Service of Northern Ireland and from ourselves at Ulster University, as well as the Ulster University Students’ Union.”
You can follow Derry City and Strabane PSNI on Facebook and Twitter for student safety advice and information about policing in the community.