Sssshhhh – University Students Asked to ‘Zip it’ and ‘Lock it’

Published on: 22 Sep, 2015
Updated on: 24 Sep, 2015

This year’s 2015 Freshers are due to hit the streets of Guildford this week and amongst the many messages they’ll be receiving is one asking them to keep quiet after a night out in the town and another reminding them to secure their property.

It’s the second year that the latest influx of students is being targeted in a specific campaign encouraging the youngsters to enjoy themselves but keep the noise down and avoid anti-social behaviour which can cause nuisance to local residents.

The “zip it” and “lock it” initiatives are supported by the University of Surrey, the University of Surrey Students’ Union and the Safer Guildford partnership.

PC Michael Knight, higher education liaison officer at Surrey Police said the aim of the “zip it” project is to alert youngsters of the need to respect local people by being considerate to noise levels, littering and other acts of minor anti-social behaviour which can lead to the student population being misjudged by the community.

He explained: “When students enrol they throw themselves into the exciting Freshers events and can unwittingly cause problems in the locality due to high jinks and lack of forethought.

“In general there are no deliberate acts of offending and it is just youngsters enjoying their first few days at uni and the first flush of freedom. However for local residents the antics can cause nuisance and we are urging all the students to have fun but respect the fact that other people who are not sharing their activities have a right to enjoy their homes in peace.

“Last year saw a successful campaign which helped improve relationships with residents and a fall in offending.”

“Posters have been distributed in the town and particularly in Walnut Tree Close, which is used as a cut through for students going from the campus into town and back. Residents have been asked to display the ‘zip it!’ logo in their windows and it is hoped those passing through the area will be reminded to behave respectfully to those living there.”

The “lock it” initiative aims to get students to think about security – from their own personal safety to looking after their belongings. Members of the Safer Neighbourhood Team will be at student events to advise new starters how they can protect themselves from becoming a victim of crime.

PC Knight said: “Many young people forget how necessary it is to take normal security precautions and may have been used to parents being the ones to be vigilant. A lot of expensive kit is now standard for those going on to higher education and I would encourage them to take care of it.

“The most important message for anyone is to register their property at http://www.immobilise.com/ which is free of charge and can increase the chances of being reunited with your property. An app can be installed on your phone or tablet so that it can be traced.

“I would urge students to lock and shut all doors and windows of their accommodation, to put expensive goods out of view, security mark valuable items and not leave quantities of cash around. These measures should prevent a first term being one to remember for all the wrong reasons.”

Officers from the Safer Neighbourhood Team will be conducting high visibility patrols in areas in and around the campus and town where students will be out enjoying the Freshers’ activities.

Katy Sawyer, vice president for community at the Students’ Union said: “University is a learning experience; the Students’ Union will encourage students not to disturb others if they are out late at night during Freshers’ Week through social media channels.

“We are also keen to work with Surrey Police to ensure that students consider the safety of themselves and their belongings and utilise the immobilise scheme. Numerous students will also be living in the local community and the Students’ Union is running a ‘Know your Neighbour’ campaign to help students become part of the Guildford community.