Students have been given a helping hand to stay safer in person and take on cyber criminals online in twin police winter safety initiatives in Huddersfield.
Officers from Kirklees Police and the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) attended at The University of Huddersfield this week for innovative safety projects.
Cyber experts from the ROCU Cyber Blue Line Team called at the university campus with their Cyber Blue Line van to put students through their paces to learn about all aspects of how criminals might target them on line.
Students were able to turn detective to bust out of a virtual escape room and recognise and outwit criminal online fraudsters in a series of games and exercises to raise awareness of phishing, hacking, malware and more.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday the University Police Officer and officers from the Huddersfield Town centre Team conducted the annual University Safety Walk in partnership with Huddersfield University and the students union in and around campus.
This allowed students and others to speak directly with police and partners about their own safety concerns, where they wanted police to patrol and make suggestions for improvements to their environment.
Officers will now examine feedback with partners, and have implemented recommendations from previous years safety walks.
The university initiatives were part of a spectrum of ongoing recent winter themed darker nights crime prevention work across Kirklees.
They have included a personal safety event for women held in the Batley and Spen area and continued support for the Safe Zone initiative and support for the free Walk Safe App which provides Safe Zone location details.
Over 280 Safe Zones operate across Kirklees and are areas where a woman, or child could step off the street if they feel they are being followed until the risk has passed, or they might wish to charge their phone and call a friend or parent.
Inspector Mark Pattinson of Kirklees District Police, said: “A lot of work has been ongoing across Kirklees so far this winter to improve residents safety generally. This week’s student safety initiatives were an important part of that and I want to thank the University of Huddersfield and our partners at the ROCU for taking part.
“Staying safer online is hugely important for us all and students can be an easy group for hackers to try and target. The online safety activities were really well received and are intended to be delivered in a fun but impactful way.
He added: “Both events were co-ordinated and delivered with our dedicated university police officer, PC Phil Hardy, and maintaining this dedicated policing link with students and the university is really important to us.
“We want Kirklees Police officers to be really approachable for our students and for the university as a whole to help them stay safer in our communities.”
