| Good evening, I'm Geoffrey Miller, from the University of Nottingham Student Union. |
| And in this week's free class, Carlos Garcia is going to tell us about safety around campus. |
| Over to you, Carlos. |
| Thank you, Geoffrey. And thank you all for your attendance today. |
| Also, I would like to thank the student union here at the university for organising this lecture. |
| Well, I have been serving and protecting the city of Nottingham for over 20 years now |
| as a member of the police department. |
| Does anyone know what type of crime is the most prevalent on campus? |
| I heard someone say drugs and alcohol - |
| that actually isn't too much of an issue. |
| Violence? Nope. |
| Actually, the biggest thing we worry about here is theft. |
| The nature of crime on Nottingham's campus is quite different from that of the surrounding areas. |
| Crime rates across the East Midlands are very difficult to control. |
| We'd like to see the rate stay the same for this calendar year, |
| but it's been increasing steadily over the past three years. |
| On campus, however, I'm happy to say that the overall crime rate has fallen this year. |
| You wouldn't think so if you have seen the extremely exaggerated stories in the media. |
| The media has done nothing but cause more concern about crime in our area. |
| Even the crime shows you see today are a little bit farfetched, |
| but at least viewers know they are not real events. |
| We'd really like to see more factual news articles out there |
| so the public can have a rational sense of the safety level of our society. |
| OK, let's move on to what to do when you see a crime. |
| Do not get involved if at all possible, |
| and do not draw too much attention to yourself by running away in a conspicuous manner. |
| Though most likely and hopefully you will not have to experience this situation, |
| if you are being mugged please do not try to resist. |
| Instead, be compliant and, seek help after the incident. |
| Like I said, though, it is highly unlikely that you will find yourself amidst a crime, |
| but it is important to be prepared should it ever happen. |
| We find that educating students and staff on the correct precautions to take is the best way to increase your safety. |
| Just remember to be smart when you're out late at night, |
| and avoid any area or person that looks suspicious. |
| I know it sounds obvious, but I cannot stress this enough. |
| It's also not a bad idea to have your mobile phone with you at all times, |
| but be careful. |
| If you're chatting on your smart phone on your way home, |
| you're a prime target for thieves. |
| I'd like to see a show of hands - |
| how many people have left work or the library after 10 p.m. to go home before? |
| A lot of you, right? |
| If you do have to go home late at night, please don't walk home alone. |
| More often than not there's someone there that will be walking the same direction as you at some point. |
| Walk home with a friend or coworker. |
| Even if you must use your phone to call someone that's nearby to walk with you, |
| it's always safer to walk home with someone. |
| So when you're walking home, |
| you may feel more comfortable with some sort of self-defense, |
| such as pepper spray. |
| Now, it's your call whether you want to carry something like this or not. |
| However, I absolutely advise against carrying a knife or any other offensive weapon. |
| All too often they can be used against you if you're disarmed, putting yourself in more danger. |
| For all those interested, the recreation centre offers a free self-defense class to all students every Thursday evening. |
| While obviously an introductory self-defense class may not equip you to fight off villains like a regular superhero, |
| it does come in handy sometimes. |
| After taking a self-defense class, |
| you will surely be more aware of possible dangers and how to deal with them. |
| So hopefully now you have a more complete understanding of the nature of crimes committed on your campus, |
| and how to avoid being a victim. |
| I know most students at the University of Nottingham are not the criminal types, |
| but remember that there is no barrier like a wall or something keeping nonstudents out. |
| There is no army force securing the borders, and I doubt anyone wants it that way. |
| The campus is generally a safe place, |
| but it's not immune to small crimes once in a while. |
| Alright. That's all I have to say for today. Stay safe! |