The UO Police Department is holding two classes to teach basic self-defense and the use of pepper spray.

The drop-in classes are open to all students, employees and community members of all ages with no preregistration. The classes do not have to be taken together, or at the same time, but the department highly recommends that people who carry pepper spray take both.

The basic self-defense class is 90 minutes and incorporates risk awareness discussion with simple physical self-defense techniques. The pepper spray class is one hour and focuses on when and how to deploy pepper spray and what type of pepper spray product works best.

The basic self-defense class is Monday, Nov. 8, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Erb Memorial Union’s Crater Lake Room South. The pepper spray class is Tuesday, Nov. 9, from 5 to 6 p.m. in Crater Lake Room North.