By most measures, Fort Collins is considered a safe town. Most areas in the city are well lit, well populated and there are very few “bad areas,” if any. Most incidents of violence are isolated occurrences. Unfortunately, the majority of CSU students won’t live in this safe haven forever. This is where Colorado State University Police and Safety come in. They want to prepare students not only for the workforce but also situations that can be frightening, and in some cases, life-threatening.

From 6 to 8 p.m. on April 28, Officer Ashleigh Rose will be holding a self-defense workshop called “Realistic Strategies” in the Student Recreation Center’s matted room. The workshop will focus on internal and external awareness and will be composed of a mixture of lecture and physical activity.

“With plans to move down to Denver after graduation, I’m excited for this workshop to take place,” said Taylor Broderick, a senior at CSU. “If a few hours of my time can make me feel safer and potentially save my life, I am all for it.”

Officer Rose started her career in 2005 at the CSU Police department as a campus service officer. After she graduated from CSU with a B.S. in forest biology and spatial information management, she accepted the offer to become a CSU police officer. In 2009, she became a defensive tactics instructor, which is an officer that teaches other officers how to protect themselves. From there, her passion for teaching grew.

If students can’t make the first workshop, a second one will be held on May 5 from 6-8 p.m. in the matted room at the Student Recreation Center. The workshops are free and only available to CSU students.

For more information about the self-defense classes or tips to stay safe on the CSU campus, visit the CSU Police and Safety Facebook page. Or sign up for the April 28 workshop.