Welcome week: Devon & Cornwall Police take action to keep students safe

Police and partners are taking part in proactive patrols to make sure partygoers feel safe as students hit Exeter city centre for welcome week.

On Wednesday 17 September, the Exeter Neighbourhood Policing team were joined by the Neighbourhood Support Team, Exeter University’s Education Welfare Team and the Street Pastors. They spent the evening engaging with new and returning students in a bid to keep nights out as safe as possible for all.

Police have also been attending fresher’s events on campus and will be continuing to carry out patrols in popular nightlife spots over the coming weeks, distributing anti-spiking products and giving advice to anybody heading out to busy pubs and clubs.

Inspector Nathan Johnson, who leads the Exeter team and has a daughter who is starting University this year, noted the importance of the patrols.

He said: “Exeter is a great place to live, study and to have fun. We know that many students moving to the area may not have lived independently, away from family or friends before, and we’ll be working hard to make sure they feel safe here.

“On Wednesday evening, we were out proactively engaging with students, giving out handy freebies - including anti-spiking bottle stoppers - and encouraging students to use the safest routes in and out of the city centre. We also had plain clothes officers patrolling the area, looking for inappropriate or intimidating behaviour.

“We will continue to carry out patrols this weekend and over the coming weeks; offering safety advice and looking out for individuals displaying concerning behaviour as part of our commitment to tackle violence against women and girls.”

During welcome week, local policing teams have been supported by the Exeter City Council Licensing team who have been ensuring taxis are appropriately licensed and registered to operate in the area, and the Police Operations team who have been patrolling routes in and out of the city.

If you are a student starting or returning to university this September, remember:

Inspector Johnson continued: “While the number of reported incidents of spiking in Exeter is very low, we’re aware that some students have concerns and we want to make sure they know that we take reports seriously.

“Spiking can happen to anyone. We know it can be scary to report being spiked, but we are here to help.

"If you believe you may have been spiked, please report it to us by calling 101 or using the form on the police website. We need to know about every possible spiking so that we can investigate.

“If anyone is in immediate danger, always call 999.”

For more information about spiking and how to report it, visit: Spiking | Devon & Cornwall Police

Full information about what to do if you have been sexually assaulted can be found on the Devon & Cornwall Police website, here: Rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences | Devon & Cornwall Police