James Bartlett

Suffolk University Police Officer

It’s the beginning of another school year, and as safety remains a top priority on campus, Suffolk University Police Department’s Rape Aggression Defense class is back.                                         

The RAD program is a course that physically and mentally prepares an individual for a confrontational situation. These classes are offered to women at Suffolk, as well as other women who attend universities in the Boston area. 

Sergeant Mike McCartney discussed the benefits of students taking part in SUPD’s offered self-defense classes. 

The self-defense class has been led by McCartney for the past five years, along with a few other SUPD officers. With these classes, students are able to learn, recognize and use defensive skills in case of possible dangerous scenarios. 

According to McCartney, the first few classes demonstrate the basics of stances, using the body in blocking and how a person should react to verbal encounters. 

The classes will be held every Wednesday starting October 5 from 5-9 p.m. and will run for four weeks. The classes will be located in the Sargent Hall building on the fourth floor, for those who would like to participate. 

In addition to teaching how to physically react in the event of danger, a big part of these self-defense classes is to also teach students how to stand their ground and stand up for themselves against an individual. 

“Students have felt empowered [by taking these classes],” McCartney said. 

He urges students to try the defense classes out because “hearing their stories about personal encounters and [students] telling me [the class] is the best thing ever while learning how to react to a situation.” 

For students unsure whether or not to attend the class, McCartney emphasized his selling point.

“You get to beat up cops for free for a few hours,” he said. 

McCartney noted to wear some athletic clothing and to bring a lot of water when taking part in the course. 

For students looking to protect themselves on campus and in the city, SUPD’s safety advice is simple: Carry your phone everywhere and anywhere. 

SUPD’s direct emergency number is (617)-573-8111 and to contact Boston Police use 911. McCartney urges students to call or text SUPD, who will walk with students and make sure they get home safely. He also urged The Suffolk community to download the LiveSafe App which allows tracking of users locations on request and can immediately contact SUPD through the app if something were to happen, according to Suffolk University’s website under Safety Resources.  

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