Security services

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  • Reporting a crime

    If you witness a crime, or are a victim of a crime, always report it to the police and to the University Security Service

    Find out more
    Security services

  • Police Liaison Officer

    PC Becky Hurrell works with the University’s Security Service on campus.

    Find out more
    Security services patrol
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Security Services

Dedicated to providing a welcoming, safe and secure campus

Leeds is a great place to live and study. It’s important to be prepared and take simple steps to stay safe and to know what to do if you’re a victim of crime. The University’s Security Service operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year. We offer crime prevention advice, patrol the campus, investigate crimes and respond to alarms and emergencies.

Security office175 Woodhouse Lane
Non-emergencies(0113) 343 5494/5
Emergencies only(0113) 343 2222
Emailsecurity@leeds.ac.uk

CRIME PREVENTION

Simple steps to keep yourself and your possessions safe.

Find out more

REPORTING A CRIME

Report crimes to the police and to the Security Service.

Find out more

LOST PROPERTY

Find out how you can reclaim lost property from the Security office.

Find out more

KEY CONTACTS

Contact information for staff within Security Services.

Find out more

Police Higher Education Liaison Officer

The University of Leeds works with West Yorkshire Police to provide a Police Higher Education Liaison Officer (PHELO) offering help, advice and support to students and staff on campus.

PC Becky Hurrell works with the University’s Security Service on campus. You can contact her at:

TelephoneEmailTwitter
07590359138 (8am-4pm, Mon–Fri)r.hurrell@leeds.ac.uk@WYP_PCHurrell
Find out more about PC Hurrell

Our services

We operate by the Security Service Level Agreement and offer a range of security services:

  • Uniformed security patrols and static guarding both with and without the use of dogs
  • A 24 hour monitoring service for all networked closed circuit television cameras and University alarm systems
  • Initial response to alarms and emergency situations
  • Investigating, recording and analysing crimes and incidents
  • Crime prevention advice
  • Event/venue security for University functions including access control and guarding
  • Briefings to staff and students on personal and property security
  • Lost/found property system
  • Management information on crime figures and trends as they affect the University
  • Security services on a ‘charged’ basis for non academic activity on University property
  • Other specialist support as necessary or required
Staying safe in Leeds guide
Download our Staying Safe in Leeds guide

Reporting a crime

If you witness a crime, or are a victim of a crime, always report it to the police and to the University Security Service.

Security Services and the police work together to keep Leeds students as safe and secure as possible. It should be understood that, although a security officer will take a report of crime from an aggrieved person, it is important that the person also reports the matter to the police. This is necessary for insurance purposes.

Non-emergency
For all non-emergency situations call the police on 101
You should also telephone the University Security Service on 0113 343 5494
Emergency only
For emergency situations call the police on 999
You should also telephone the University Security Service on 0113 343 2222

Examples of descriptions that can help identify criminals

The most important pieces of information you can give the Police or Security, if you see someone acting suspiciously or committing a crime are:

DESCRIPTION of the offender.  LOCATION of the offender. DIRECTION the offender is travelling in.

People

  • Age and height (approximately)
  • Male/female/colour
  • Hair: colour, length, style, etc
  • Build: tall, thin, stocky
  • Clothing
  • Other distinguishing features: scar, tattoo, missing fingers, etc

Vehicles

  • Make
  • Registration
  • Colour
  • Description of driver
  • Number of occupants
  • Type: saloon, estate, van, lorry, including any displayed names

Crime prevention

Leeds is a great place to live and study, but it’s important to take simple steps to keep yourself and your possessions safe.

At home

  • Make sure you keep your front door closed and locked even if you’re in. When you leave, close all of your doors and windows
  • Use a timer device so your lights will still come on when you’re away for any period of time
  • Make sure you have high quality locks on your doors. Ask your landlord/letting agent if they meet the latest standards – TS007 (3 star rating) or SS312 (Sold Secure Diamond Standard)
  • Use your burglar alarm even if you’re just going out for a short period of time
  • Keep all of your valuables stored out of sight and away from windows

Personal possessions

  • When you’re out and about keep your valuables out of sight. Have your phone in your pocket or bag, and don’t wear headphones as these can be valuable and make you less aware of what’s going on around you
  • When you’re in a bar or a café, consider looping your bag strap under your chair leg
  • Never leave your valuables unattended, even if you are studying in libraries or study areas
  • Be aware of someone trying to distract you (for instance by trying to hand you a leaflet) in order to make theft easier
  • Download tracking software to your laptop and phone – preyproject.com

Protect yourself online

  • Be aware of how to stay safe online. If it looks too good to be true, it’s probably a scam – don’t buy it or engage with it
  • Make sure you check the details of who you’re talking to. If they claim to be an official representative of an organisation, ask for their name and department. You can then check online to confirm their identity
  • If in doubt ask for advice from Security, your personal tutor, your friends or your family.
  • Never send money to a stranger, no matter what they have said
  • For more information on online security, make sure you complete the online IT induction

Bike crime

  • Make sure to secure your bike with a D lock with a ‘sold secure’ rating. Anything without this is a poor quality lock, and will leave your bike at risk of being stolen
  • Always secure your bike to something solid and secure, ideally a bike rack
  • Mark the frame of your bike with your permanent home postcode and house number using an ultraviolet pen or etching tool

Find out more about cycle security and purchase a D-Lock and bike lights at our Cycle Awareness Campaign event on 7 and 8 October.

Nights out

  • At night, avoid taking shortcuts through badly lit areas such as alleys and parks. Stay in groups and stick to well-lit areas. Never walk home with strangers
  • Know your limits with alcohol, and make sure that you watch your drinks. If a stranger buys you a drink, make sure you can see it being poured and that you take it straight from the bartender
  • Use a taxi to get home, make sure it’s a legitimate taxi either from a marshalled taxi rank or a pre-booked private hire such as Amber Cars. Never share a taxi with strangers
  • Amber Cars will take you home even if you don’t have any money on you. Simply give them your student ID, and you can collect it and pay for the taxi at the students’ union three days later

Crime prevention advice

For further advice and guidance please feel free to contact our Crime Prevention Advisor:

Andy Gordon-Platt MSyl
175 Woodhouse Lane
0113 34 35005

crimeprevention@leeds.ac.uk

Lost property

All property that is handed in to Security is held at the Security Office and can be reclaimed from there.

If you have lost something, you should always check with appropriate staff in the area you last saw it to see if it has been handed in there. For instance, with the enquiries desk if you believe something was lost in one of the libraries. If they don’t have it, then it may well have been handed in to Security.

All property that is handed in to Security is held at the Security Office and can be reclaimed from there. We will try and identify the owners of lost property, so would advise marking your contact details on items where possible. We are unable to insert memory sticks into University computers to identify the owners by file content, so please consider externally marking your memory stick to make it identifiable and distinctive from other memory sticks.

Any student ID cards handed in will be sent straight away to the Student Services Centre, Level 9, Marjorie and Arnold Ziff Building. On receipt of the card the Student Services Centre will inform you by email that they have your card.

If anything is unclaimed after three months then it will be disposed of, where possible, via donating to a local charity.

We process passports, driving licences and bank cards as listed below:

  • Return passports to the Passport Office (or the relevant embassy in respects to non-UK passports) after one week
  • Return driving licences to the DVLA after one week
  • Notify the relevant bank once a bank card is handed in, and either return it or destroy it depending on their procedures.

Key contacts

Contact information for staff within Security Services.

NamePositionTelephoneEmail
Security Office0113 343 2222 (emergency)
0113 343 5494/5 (general enquiries) 		security@leeds.ac.uk
Malcolm DawsonSecurity Services Manager0113 343 5483m.dawson@leeds.ac.uk
Mark BownassDeputy Security Service Manager0113 343 9338m.a.bownass@leeds.ac.uk
Andy Gordon-PlattCrime Prevention Advisor 0113 343 5005crimeprevention@leeds.ac.uk
PC Rebecca HurrellHigher Education Liaison Officer07590359138 (8am-4pm, Mon–Fri)r.hurrell@leeds.ac.uk
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