An Garda Síochána has launched the Safe at College campaign to help keep students safe with advice to be provided on topics such as rental fraud, money mules, staying safe, driving, drugs, sexual consent and hate crime.

The impact of the pandemic has meant that for majority of students this year will be the first year they will have the full campus experience. The aim of the #SafeatCollege campaign is to raise awareness amongst students and to work in partnership to make this new experience a safe and secure one by being mindful and taking steps to stay safe at college.

The campaign will cover a number of topics over the course of the next few months to provide crime prevention information on the types of crime that may impact on student life. Each programme will be evidence based and focus on topics that may be more relevant for a particular time of year such as the crime prevention advice issued about rental fraud at the start of the academic year and personal safety and socialising throughout the term.

A key element in this programme are the more than 55 Campus Watch Schemes across the country. The Campus Watch Programme is a crime prevention and community safety programme similar to a residential Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. It operates as a partnership between An Garda Síochána and the campus occupants.

Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, Roads Policing and Community Engagement comments, “we want to ensure students enjoy their college experience and remind both you and your parents/carers there is information and help available through the Campus Watch Schemes run in colleges across the country. Through this partnership approach you will have information about the importance of keeping safe throughout student life, be that on campus, at home or socialising both online and in person.”

“Given the restrictions relating to Covid 19 last year, we recognise this year will be different as some of you may be effectively attending campus for the first time. It is understandable you will want to get out and meet each other. The #SafeatCollege campaign is designed to help you, to provide you with information and tools to ensure you all have a safe experience. It is also raises awareness of the longer term consequences of certain behaviour, for example losing the opportunity to travel and the impact on future job prospects.”

“This safety campaign provides information directly to students and across our social media channels, we encourage you to make use of them and work with us to keep yourselves and others in the community safe.”

Source: An Garda Síochána