Temporory workspoce 34 Influx: Magazine March 1999 Safewalk: Walk Safe Tonight Institute Volunteer Safewalk Program Protects Students. image by Christine Carter by Leslie Grant Safewalk provides the members of the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design community with someone to walk with them to near-by bus stops and/or parking lots on Granville Island from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Monday through Thursday. Volunteers are located in the Reception area in the North build- ing, and can be reached by dialing 3838 on any one of the emer- gency phones located throughout the campus (this is also the number by which Security and first aid can be reached). But how necessary is an organization such as Safewalk? According to Constable Peter D'arcy, the officer who is assigned to the Granville Island Community Police Office, the island is very safe. The most prevalent crime is theft, and the second most common is impersonation or trickery. The reason that property crime is dif- Violent crimes involving stranger to stranger attacks are rare on Granville Island. ficult to control is due to the nature of the island. Because there are sO many visitors coming and going (between eight and eleven million per year), identifying strangers to the neighborhood is next to impossible. In a residential neighborhood, which is a more controlled environment, strangers are easier to recognize (if atten- tion is paid to such matters). Constable D'arcy advises residents to take note of their neighbors and report all suspicious behavior to the police. All calls to 911 are processed through a computer so there is no possibility of a call concerning a suspicion, rather than a known criminal act, being ignored; if a police officer does not respond within a given amount of time, the computer will contin- ue to notify an officer until the situation has been looked in to. Because of the use of computerization, it is possible to dial 911 from any phone, drop the phone (and run) if the situation neces- sitates. The police department will know where the call was placed and will send an officer to investigate the location. Because suspicious behavior is hard to identify on Granville Island and in neighborhoods with which one is less familiar, Constable D'arcy recommends that people remain aware of their surroundings (especially at night and when traveling alone). He explains that there are three elements necessary for a crime to exist: a criminal, a victim, and an opportunity. In order to avoid being the victim of a crime, the opportunity must be removed. This can be accomplished by observing one’s environ- ment, and through the use of the five senses (e.g. keeping one’s eyes and ears open) - in other words staying aware and using com- mon sense. For example: walking in the center of the road instead of close to shrubbery, concealing jewelry and/or expensive posses- sions, and buddying up. It is important to have a plan and take precautions in order to avoid being shocked and the subsequent inability to act logically during a criminal event. Shock due to one’s unwilling participation in a criminal act affects the senses; they become inaccurate and therefore unreliable. A safety plan that has been thought through ahead of time is useful in order to lessen the possibility of panic. According to Constable D'arcy, violent crimes involv- ing stranger to stranger attacks are rare on the Island (and in gen- eral, since most violent acts occur between people who know one another). But even with such reassurance, it is important to be constantly aware of one’s surroundings and to think logically if a threatening situation presents itself. Using common sense, and utilizing Safewalk, are both precautions that are useful when one is traveling alone at night or in an unfamiliar area. The Granville Island Community Police Office is open 10 AM to 2 PM, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. temporary 34 workspece Influx* Magazine March 1999 Safewalk: Walk Safe Tonight Institute Volunteer Safewalk Program Protects Students. by Leslie Grant Safewalk provides the members of the Emily Care Insure of Art and Design community with someone to walk with them to near-by bus stops and/or pasking los oa Granville Island from 8:00 PM to 1:00 PM, Monday through Thursday. Volunteer ae located in the Reception area in the North build Jing and can be reached by dialing 3838 on any one of the emer- gency phones located throughout the campus (this is also the ‘umber by which Security and frst aid canbe reached). But how necessary is an organization such as Safewal? According t0 Constable Peter Diary, the officer who is asigned to the Granille sland Community Police Office, the island is very safe. ‘The most prevalent crime i thet, and the second most common {simpersonation or ickery-The eason tha property crime is d= Violent crimes involving stranger to stranger attacks are rare on Granville Island. Salt to contol i due to the nature of the island. Because there are so many vistors coming and going (between eight and eleven million per yea), idenifVing strangers to the neighborhood is ‘ext to imposible. Ina residential neighborhood, which sa more controlled environmen, strangers ae easier to recognize (ifatten- tion is paid to such matters). Constable Diary advises residents tw take note oftheir neighbors and reprt all suspicious behavior to the police. Alas to 911 are processed through a computer so ‘there is no possibly ofa ell concer ‘known criminal act, beng ignored; i ‘espond within a given amount of time, the computer will contine ‘ue fo notify an officer unt the situation has been looked in ta Because ofthe use of computerization, iti posible to dal 911 from any phone op the phone (and run) ithe situation neces- states The police department wil now where the all was placed ‘and will send an officer to investigate the location, Because suspicious behavior is hard to identify on Granville Island and in neighbochoods with which one i less familiar, Constable Darcy recommends that people emain aware of ther suroundings (specially at night and when traveling lone) He explain that thee ae three elements necessary for 8 ‘ime to exist a criminal a victim, and an opportuni In order to avoid being the vitim of a crime, the opportunity must be ‘removed. This can be accomplished by abserving one's environ ‘ment, and through the use of the five senses (eg keeping one's ‘yes and ears open - in other words staying avare and using com- ‘mon sense. For example: walking inthe center ofthe road instead ‘of close to shrubbery, concealing jewelry and/or expensive posses- ‘Sons, and budding up. I important to have a plan and take ‘precautions inorder ¢o avid being shocked and the subsequent inability fo act logically during a criminal ‘event. Shock de to one's unwiling Participation ina criminal act affects the senses; they become inaccurate and therefore unreliable. A safety plan that has been thought ‘through ahead of time i useful in oder to lesen the possibly of According to Constable Darcy, violent crimes inva ing stranger to stranger attacks ar rare onthe Ilan (and in gen- ‘er since most violent acts gecur between people who know ene nother) But even with such reassurance, i is important to be Constantly avare of one's surroundings and to think lopclly if Ureatening situation presents ise. Using common seas, and tutlzing Safewal are both precautions that are useful when one Ss taneling alone at night or in an unfaiiar area "The Grane Island Community Police Ofces open 10 AM 10 2 PM, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday