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Malcolm Dawson, Head of Security, and Mark Bownass, Deputy Head of Security, with the Secured Environments plaque

University of Leeds receives Secured Environments accreditation

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The University of Leeds has received the police-certified Secured Environments accreditation. To achieve the award organisations must demonstrate that they have adopted the six key principles for protecting themselves against crime. This achievement demonstrates the University’s strong and proven commitment to placing the safety of students, staff and visitors at the forefront of everything we do.

Operating on a large, 98-acre single site location just outside of the city centre presents the University with a complex set of challenges. The security team have adopted the six key principles of Secured Environments and maintain close working links with local partners such as West Yorkshire Police and Leeds City Council. This means that Security Services are able to proactively manage the safety of the people and property on campus.

“I would particularly like to thank those staff who worked tirelessly to achieve this award. Their excellent collaborative work was vital to our success.”

– Malcolm Dawson BEM, Head of Security

Malcolm Dawson BEM, Head of Security, said: “Receiving this award is a superb accolade. It reflects the high calibre of work done by all members of the Security Services to embed safety across the University. We are also extremely grateful for the support we received from members of the wider University community who helped participate in the accreditation process.

“I would particularly like to thank those staff who worked tirelessly to achieve this award. Their excellent collaborative work was vital to our success. Key members of the team were Mark Bownass, Deputy Head of Security; Andy Gordon-Platt, Crime Prevention Advisor; Ian Crawshaw, Security Training Officer; PC Rebecca Hurrell, our Police Higher Education Liaison Officer; Danil Beekman, our Administrator; and Rebecca Damment-Vezzosi, Business Improvement Officer, who ably project managed the process. Throughout the entire accreditation we were also fully supported by Joanna Hynes, Deputy Director of Estates & Facilities Services.”

Dennis Hopper, Director of Campus Development, said: “This accreditation serves as a clear demonstration of the importance the University places on student, staff and visitor safety. I’m extremely proud of all the staff in the Security Services for the constant good work that this award recognises.”

The Secured Environment accreditation is valid for three years, confirming our approach to security is up to a police-certified standard. The Security Services will continue to work alongside colleagues from across the University to ensure that this remains the case.

Security Services leaving a helping hand flyer on an unattended iPad

Security giving you a helping hand

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Security Services are starting a new campaign to give you a helping hand with keeping your property safe. From Monday 20 January, Security started to place new hand-shaped flyers on any unattended property in public spaces around campus to highlight the risk of opportunistic theft.

Whilst campus is generally a safe and secure space, it is also important to understand that there is always a risk of crime in a big city like Leeds and you need to take steps to protect yourself from it. You probably take your laptop and phone down to the library to study most days. If you leave them unattended to nip away for a coffee, then you could have lost hundreds if not thousands of pounds worth of items by the time you get back.

We’re hoping that if you come back to see one of our helping hands on your stuff, then you’ll realise it would’ve only taken seconds for it to have been stolen.

– Andy Gordon-Platt, Crime Prevention Advisor

Andy Gordon-Platt, the University’s Crime Prevention Advisor, came up with the concept for the ‘helping hand’, “The police had a similar anti-burglary campaign a few years ago. I thought that a version of this could make a real impact on reducing opportunistic theft within our public spaces. We’re hoping that if you come back to see one of our helping hands on your stuff, then you’ll realise it would’ve only taken seconds for it to have been stolen. With our officers’ regular uniformed patrols of campus, students are also able to ask questions about how they can best protect their property.”

If you want to know more about security on campus and how to keep yourself and your property safe, then why not visit the Security drop-in sessions in the LUU Foyer? They’re 11am – 2pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays and you’ll be able to speak with the Police Higher Education Liaison Officer, PC Becky Hurrell, the Crime Prevention Advisor, Andy Gordon-Platt, and the on-duty operations manager. For further information and advice, visit leeds.ac.uk/security.