Advice for when party is over
Stirling Area Commander, Chief Inspector Lynn Ratcliff, on how police are coping with Freshers Week and some advice for new students.
As I highlighted in last week’s article, officers have been busy getting ready for the policing operation to support Fresher’s Week at Stirling University, which began on Saturday.
Well, so far, so good and I’d like to extend my thanks to all of those who have been out and about enjoying the nightlife in and around Stirling over the last few days.
Despite the large numbers heading into pubs and clubs, there have been very few complaints about drunkenness or disorder.
As expected, the city centre has been particularly busy with almost 1,000 enjoying the city’s attractions each night, even during the week.
Bus and taxi services have done a great job in getting everyone home quickly and safely and hopefully the good natured atmosphere will continue for the rest of the week.
Once the party is over however, I would ask all of our student community to keep in mind some simple advice about other aspects of university life which will make sure your term time goes without a hitch.
In terms of your accommodation, do think about your levels of security and make sure that there are working locks on your doors and windows. Also take time to record details of all your valuables and mobile property, including phones, laptops, cameras and tablets and store the information at www.immobilise.com, the UK national property register.
Online safety is also important - always use passwords or PINS on mobile phones, tablets, laptops and desktops. Be sure to use privacy settings on social networking sites and think carefully about who you make an online friend.
It’s important to remember that what goes online now stays there forever so don’t leave yourself open to criminal charges or vulnerable to blackmail.
Think carefully about what you are saying and the pictures you are posting on social networking sites.
Finally, you may have set up a new bank account for use during your time at university. Always take a few moments to check through transactions on your bank statements and if you are unsure about a transaction or spot anything unusual or suspicious, contact your bank directly to establish fraud at an early stage.
Make sure you cancel any lost or stolen cards as soon as possible and similarly, if your passport or driving licence has been lost or stolen, contact the organisation that issued it and make them aware. Never give bank details to anyone unless you know and trust them and even then be extremely cautious.
Further information on any of the above and other aspects of student life can be found on the Police Scotland website.