Have you ever sat down and had a cup of coffee with a police officer? Performed CPR? Had to defend yourself in a potentially dangerous situation?
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee police officers are offering the campus community an opportunity to learn more about campus safety resources and get to know campus police officers during Campus Safety Week Sept. 26-29.
The weeklong series of events – which includes a variety of demonstrations, information and workshops — kicks off Monday, Sept. 26, with a gathering of campus safety and wellness experts and information on Spaights Plaza and the Union Concourse. It wraps up with the Coffee with a Cop event Thursday, Sept. 29, from 5-7 p.m. at Sandburg Hall.
This year’s Safety Week is focusing on the idea that keeping the campus community safe is everybody’s business, said Craig Rafferty, community liaison officer for the police department. This year’s theme is “Building Relationships, Protecting Community.”
The week kicks off with a campus-wide event on Monday, Sept. 26, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring self-defense and first aid demonstrations, opportunities to sign up for CPR and defibrillator training, and information about campus resources including the S.A.F.E. alert system, emergency blue light phones, B.O.S.S. (Be on the Safe Side) vans and the S.A.F.E. escorts/walkers. The event will also include information on services available from organizations such as the Women’s Resource Center, the Norris Health Center and the LGBT Resource Center.
Campus partners from the Milwaukee Police Department and Shorewood Police Department and Milwaukee Fire House Engine #27 will be on hand to talk about safety on and off campus and the importance of being a respectful neighbor.
New partners this year are the UWM Innovative Weather center, which will provide weather safety and other weather-related information, and the UWM Student Association.
In all, 10 campus and local groups will have tables and/or demonstrations as part of the Monday event.
During the week, campus police will be visiting Sandburg, Cambridge and Riverview residence halls and other campus locations to offer active-shooter training, a two-hour self-defense course, CPR and defibrillator training and information on alcohol awareness.
The Coffee with a Cop event on Thursday evening will wrap up the week.
For more details on events throughout the week and information on signing up for courses, go to https://uwm.edu/police/trainings/category/campus-safety-week/. You may also sign up for courses at the Sept. 26 event at the tables offering demonstrations.
