Local police
124. As well as developing good links with local organisations, it is also important for
institutions to develop and maintain strong links with the local police force in
preventing and responding to violence against women, harassment and hate
crime affecting students. Evidence from police officers responsible for liaising
with universities highlighted the importance of universities and the police
developing and maintaining a constructive working relationship. Senior level
commitment is necessary to ensure that resources are available to manage the
ongoing partnership, and that this remains integral to an effective response.
125. Evidence from the Police Association of Higher Education Liaison Officers
(PAHELO) and Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO)
highlighted a number of factors which can impact on the ability of institutions
and the police to build effective working relationships (see Annexe C p.89). This
evidence also highlighted that developing strong links with the police can result
in a greater awareness of initiatives and events taking place within the wider
community and provide the opportunity to develop other useful external
relationships.
126. Building these relationships at a strategic level can help:
promote a more consistent response
secure the involvement of the police in prevention initiatives, as the case study
Working with the police at Leeds suggests (see case study 8 in Annexe E)
plan and deliver specialist training to university staff, such as specialist
training from the police’s Rape and Serious Crime Unit to help staff gain a
deeper understanding of sexual assault, and Islamic cultural awareness
training to help staff better support Muslim students
foster a greater understanding on both sides of the nature of incidents and
their impact on students
address barriers to reporting by working together
raise awareness of what is unacceptable behaviour and what amounts to
violence against women, harassment and hate crime
build trust and confidence in the police amongst the student body
127. The importance of the police relationship has also been emphasised in the work
of the White House Task Force to prevent students from sexual assault. It
developed a template memorandum of understanding (MOU) for working with
local law enforcement agencies which sets out the essential elements in the
relationship between these parties.
Other local agencies
128. The Taskforce also noted that good partnership working with local authorities,
the NHS, religious leaders in the wider community and others can be of benefit
to both prevention and response. For example, this engagement can help
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