Cops and Robbers Do ECIAD’s Crime Problems Lie with Security or with the Students? by Tara DeLong ttention: Theft is a Reality and far too many of us at ECIAD already know that. From the occasional pencil gone missing all the way up to stolen art, cameras, computer equipment, bikes and cars, even death threats and destruction of property; we can all attest that Emily Carr Institute has a crime problem. The question is, what are we as students in an art com- munity going to do about it? Sadly, the evidence I have been pre- sented with lately suggests that most people are prepared to do nothing and therefore will continue to be victimized. I recently attended an informal meeting hosted by the Safer Campus Committee. The meeting was intended to inform the staff and students about typical crimes that we are subject to and how to prevent them. Constable Peter D’Arcy from the Granville Island Community Police Centre lectured on how to prevent crime as well as how to handle a crime in progress in a safe, effective manner. All in all, it was an informative, friendly meeting and I did not mind one bit giving up my lunch hour, despite my hectic schedule, to attend. Unfortunately, the only students in attendance at this meeting (intended for students) were a grad, two other writers from Influx, and myself. I was a bit dumbfounded by the lack of student involvement considering the regularity of crimes being committed on campus. Does no one care about their personal One thing that the students need to realize is that most of the crimes that happen within the institute are committed by other students. safety and the safety of their possessions? Does everyone fail to see or acknowledge the signs conspicuously posted throughout the Institute? For a school so full of visually observant people (or at least it is RUMOURED that artists are observant) too much seems to slip by unnoticed. On just about a weekly basis I hear people complaining that they did not know that Life Drawing had moved to Room 270, or that the Pub Night was not publicized enough. Do they mean to tell me that they missed all 2,411 flyers posted at regular intervals around the school? Because to miss every one of those flyers would require some kind of conscious ignorance of the world around you. No wonder this school has a crime problem; the stu- dent body is highly unaware, irresponsible and non-participative. If only 4 out of 900 students managed to notice and acknowledge the presence of 2,411 conspicuous flyers around the school, think of how easy it would be for an intentionally concealed criminal to infiltrate our Institute without being observed or causing action to take place against them. Apathy breeds a perfect environment for crime to take place. Every law-enforcement officer, every security guard and every administrative head I spoke to had the same thing to say "The students need to get involved." The majority of Constable D’Arcy’s lecture cen- tered around the fact that "There is a crime wave of auto break-ins and thefts on Granville Island, it is quite a lucrative place to come and oper- ate," and that students at ECIAD in particular could prevent auto relat- ed thefts. Two days later the ECIAD parkade was once again ransacked and several students had major losses. Had ANY of those students participated in the Safer Campus meeting they would have at least known what simple precau- tions to take to minimize their loss- es. Not that Constable D’Arcy’s tips were all that insight- ful, stuff like lock your doors, park in a highly visible, well-lit area, avoid even parking in the parkade, and most importantly, don’t leave anything in your car. That all sounds like common sense to me, and I had already been practicing those strategies, but obviously it is not common-place knowledge because the cars in the parkade are being robbed from on a very regu- lar basis. photograph by Daryl Kirkham That is not say that if you follow all the rules you won’t get broken into, ve been broken into at least twice (probably more because a skilled thief can get in and out of your car with out you even knowing) and I had to replace my lock. I wasn’t smiling at having to pay for car repairs, but $50 dollars for a new lock is a lot less than having to explain to my dear Aunt Tilde that I had lost her camcorder along with her priceless video tape documentation of the Sasquatch mating grounds. "You cannot stop all crimes from happening, but most crimes, through education, can be prevented." Tronically, it is the students who repeatedly do really stupid things like leave their lap-top computers on the front seat of their cars and end up having them stolen, who start vehement- ly demanding that the school should do more to protect them and__ their cars. The truth is the school already does quite a lot to protect it’s stu- dents and their possessions, such as hiring full time security guards, printing pamphlets on personal safety, forming a Safer Campus Committee and sponsoring lectures.on crime and safety. The school can only do so much; you have to take measures to protect yourself as well. : Another hot spot for thievery at Emily Carr Institute is the bike racks. Some people are very fortunate and can leave their helmets and bags on their bikes and still find them there at the end of the day every day. Most other bikers, though, have had something removed from their bike or the entire bike itself removed. Again, following precautions similar to the tips for pre- venting auto-theft is the best advice I can offer forth. Lock your bike up, park it in a highly visible, well-lit area and don’t leave any- thing that can be removed on your bike. I collected some stolen bike stories from my animation classmates, and I think the best one was told by Frank Pang. "I remember when my bike got stolen. I went out to the bike rack and couldn’t find it and thought ‘Did I ride my bike today?’ They cut the chain off. I don’t know why they took it, it was a pretty crappy bike. Maybe worth $70 dollars. But then two weeks later I was at 7-11 and I saw my bike. At first I was really angry. I want- Influx: Magazine March 1999 ed to steal it back but I decided to wait. I thought it was some kids that were inside. So I waited until the kids came out and they did- n’t take the bike. Then this huge white guy with beard came out and started to unchain it. I was really scared because I’m just a scrawny Asian guy but I tried to be friendly and said ‘Hey, that’s a pretty nice bike. Where did you get it?’ and he said some bull- shit about borrowing it from a friend. So I told him ‘I used to have a bike just like that, but it was stolen from Emily Carr Institute two weeks ago.’ And he just walked away and left my bike there. So I got my bike back." Well, most people will not be fortunate enough to stumble upon their stolen merchandise on the street one day and get it back but there is some importance to Frank’s story on how to handle a situation. Although Frank was angry he did not react angrily. He used friendliness instead of anger. This is EXACTLY what Constable D’Arcy and our security guards recommend (and practice) to take care of any potential crime situation. "Confront people in a friendly manner, no matter who they are." When you react angrily to someone they will also react with anger and things can get violent very quickly, and the last thing you want is for peo- ple (or yourself) to get hurt. So if you see someone you don’t recognize or someone acting in a suspicious manner, just go up to them and say "Hi, how are you?" or "Hi, can I help you?" this does two things, it makes the them realize that you are aware of what is going on (and they will be less likely to commit a crime in front of a witness), and it buys you time to observe the person and the situation. If you feel uncomfortable approaching someone and talking to them, make a point of being able to identify them. Often, what is much more effective than a physical confrontation is a physical description. What are they wearing, what colour hair, eyes, skin? Where did you see them? And then call security (3838 on a red phone) and they can take care of the problem, but don’t just walk away. The very last thing you want to do is ignore the situa- tion. Ignorance does not prevent any crimes what-so-ever. It is very easy to ignore, to be apathetic, and to think "it’s not my prob- lem." But aren’t our lives comfortable enough already? Forgive the harsh comparison, but the Germans ignored what the Nazi’s did to the Jews and that did not make the crime any less wrong, it made them accessory criminals. Bryce, our day-time security guard, gives the example of a guy who saw two suspicious-acting people in the parkade last summer, didn’t acknowledge them or report the behavior to secu- continued on page 37 35 Cops and Robbers Do ECIAD’s Crime Problems Lie with Security or with the Students? by Tara DeLong tention: Theft is a Reality and far too many of us at ECIAD already know that. From the occasional pencil gone missing all the way up to stolen art, cameras, computer equipment, bikes and cars, even death threats and destruction of property; we can all attest that Emily Carr Institute has a crime problem. The questions, what are we as students in an art com- unity going todo about it Sadly the evidence Ihave been pre- Seated wih lately suggests that most people are prepared to-do nothing and therefore will cntinve tbe victimized recently attended an informal meeting hosted by the Safer Campus Committe, The mecting was intended to inform the staf and students abou pial erimes that we are subject t0 tnd how to prevent them, Constable Petr D'Arcy fom the Grane Island Community Police Centre lectured on how t0 prevent crime a well as how to handle a crime in progres na Safe, effective manner. Allin all it was an informative, fendly meeting and I did not mind one bit giving up my lunch hour despite my hectic schedule, to attend. ‘Unfortunately, the only students i atendance at this meeting (tended for stadens) were a grad, two other writer from Infux and myself I was abit dumbfounded by the lack of student involvement considering the regularity of crimes being Committed on campus. Does no one care about their personal One thing that the students need to realize is that most of the crimes that happen within the institute are committed by other students. safer and the safety oftheir possessions? Docs everyone fi t 60 for acknowledge the signs conspicvouly posted throughout the Tstiute? Foe a schoo! so full of visually observant people (or a least itis RUMOURED that artists are observant) too much seems to sip by unnoticed. On just about a weekly bass I hear people complaining that they didnot knox that Life Drang had ‘moved to Room 270, or thatthe Pub Night was not publicized enough. Do they mean to tell me that they mised all 2,411 fers poste at regular intervals around the school? Becaute to miss, ‘rey one of those fiers would require tome Kind of conscious fgnorance ofthe world around you No wonder this school has a crime problems the stu- dent body is highly unaware responsible and non-participatve only 4 out of 900 students managed t notice and acknowledge the presence of 211 conspicuous flyers around the school, think ‘of how easy i would befor an intentionally concealed eiminal {nate ou Institute without being observed or causing ation to take place against them. Apathy breds a perfect envionment for time o take pace. Every law-enforcement oie, every security {fuard and every administrative head spoke toad the same thing to say “The students need to get involved.” ‘The majority of Constable D'Arey’s lecture cen {ered around the fact that "There ‘crime wave of auto breakins and thefts on Grane Island itis quite A lucrative place to come and oper cand that students at ECIAD in particular could prevent auto relat fed thefts Two. days later the ECIAD parkade war once agin ransacked and several students had ‘major losses. Had ANY of those Sodents participated in dhe Safer Campus meeting they would have acleast known what simple prea tions to take to minimize thee lowe- Not that Constable DArcy’s tps were all tha nsight- ful stuf ike lock your doors, pack ina highly visible, well area, avoid even parking inthe parkade, and most importantly, don't leave fnything. in your car. That all Sounds like common sense me, and I had already been practicing those strategies, Bur obviously is not commonplace knowledge because the ears inthe parkade are ‘being robbed from on avery rept lar bai ‘Thats not say tha ifyou follow al the rules you won't get broken into, Ive been broken into atleast wice (probably more because a sklled thief can get in and out of your car without you even knowing) and Thad to replace my lock. [wasnt smiling at having to pa for ar tepai, tht $50 dollars fora new lock slot less than having to explain to my dear Aunt Tide that Thad lost her camcorder along with her prieeess video tape documentation of the Sasquatch mating rounds. “You cannot sop allerimes fom happening, but most ims, through education, can be prevented.” Tronicaly it the students who repeatedly do relly stupid things ike leave ther lap-top computers on the front sat oftheir cars and end up having them stole, who start vehement iy demanding that the school should do more to protect, them and. their cars The truth is the choo! already does quite a ft 0 ‘dents and their hiring fll time security guards printing pamphlets on personal safe} forming a Safer Campus Committee and sponsoring lectures on crime and Safe The schoo an only do so much; you have to ake measures to protect yourself swell ‘Another hot spot for thievery at Emily Car Tnsiut is the bike racks. Some people ae very fortunate an can eave thet helmets and bags on thee bikes and sil find them there atthe nd of the day every day. Most other bikers, though, have had Something removed fom thet bike of the entire bike ivelf Femoved: Again allowing precautions sila othe tps for pre- ‘eating autonteft isthe best advice T can offer forth. Lock your bike up parkit in ahighly visible, well-i area and don't leave any thing that canbe removed on your bike Tollected some stolen bike soles from my animation classmates, and T think the Best one was told by Frank Pang. "L remember when my bike got stolen. went out to the bike rack snd coulda’ find i and thought ‘Di I side my bike today? They {cut the chain off I don't know why they took it it was a prety ‘xappy bike. Maybe worth $70 dollars. But then to weeks later was at 7-11 and T saw my bike. At fst Twas realy angry. I wat- Influx* Magazine =~ March 1999 cd to steal back but I decided to wait. thought itwas some kde ‘hat wore inside. So I waited unt the kids came out and they did stake the bike. Then this huge white guy with Beard came out fnd started to unchain it 1 was really seared because Pm just « Scrawny Asian guy but I red to be fendly and said ‘Hey, thats 4 predy nice bike, Where did you get ie? and he said some bull ‘hit about Borrovting it fom a fiend. So [told him“T used to have 1 bike just ke that, but it was stolen fom Emily Car astute two seks ago’ And he jus waked away and lft my bike there Sol got my bike back * "Well, most people will not be fortunate enowsh to ‘stumble upon their stolen merchandise on the street one day and fetit back bu there is some importance to Frank's story on how to handle a situation, Although Frank as angry he didnot react, angrily He used friendliness instead of ange. This is EXACTLY ‘what Constable D'Arcy and our security guards recommend (and Practice) to take cre of any potential crime situation, "Conto Deopl in a feendly manner, no matter who they are.” When 90 Feact angrily to someone they wil lo react with anger and things an get vielent very quicly and the lst thing you want i for peo- ple (or yoursel) to get hurt. ‘So yu see someone you dont recognize or someone acting in 8 surpcious manner, jst go upto them and say "Hi, how are you?" oF "Hi, can I elp you this does two things, it rakes the them realize that you are aware of what x going on (and they wil be les likely to commit a crime in front ofa wines), and it buys you time to observe the person and the situation. If You feel uncomfortable approaching someone and talking (0 them, make a point of being able to identify them. Often, what i rch more effective than @ physical confrontation i+ a phscal description. What are they wearing, what colour hai, eyes hin? ‘Where did you soe them? And then cll security (3838 on a red phone) and they ean take eae of the problem, bur don't just walk may. The very last thing you want 1 doi ignore the stu tion, Ignorance doce not prevent any crimes what-so-ever I is ‘ery easy fo ignore, to be apathetic, and to think i's not my prob lem.” But arent our lives comfortable enough already? Forgive the harsh comparison, but the Germans ignored what the Nazi's id to the Jews and that did not make the rime an les wrong it ‘made them accessory criminals Bryce, our day-time security guard, gives the example ‘ofa guy who saw two suspicious acing people inthe parkade lst summer, did't acknowledge them or report the behavior to secu- conned on page 37 35