It’s been a month since the most recent sexual assault happened on the University of British Columbia’s campus. The university has boosted their security measures, like its walk and ride home programs, ensuring lighting on campus is at full capacity during the overnight hours, as well as having a blue box program that connects students to a live camera.
But one security expert says UBC could and should be doing more.
Leo Knight, an independent security analyst, and an advocate for more cameras on campus said tonight on Unfiltered that he walked around the UBC campus and couldn’t see a lot of integrated security.
He explained that integrated security is where your camera is integrated with an operation centre and manned patrol. Knight also noted that there are few cameras in the public areas.
There have been six sexual assaults on campus and RCMP have said they’ve received more than 100 tips and yet, the suspect remains at large.
While cameras are on Knight’s radar, for UBC graduate and Women Against Violence Against Women educational and outreach coordinator Ariana Barer, it goes farther than cameras. It comes down to the university’s policies and procedures against violence.
“We’re looking at policies, services at all levels,” Barer told Unfiltered host Aaron McArthur. “We’re not just concerned about students but everyone that lives and works on campus.”
To Barer, “cameras are just pieces of technology ” and asks, with cameras “are we really changing people’s behaviour?”
In the past the president of UBC, Stephen Toope has said he’s “reluctant” to make a commitment to more cameras in public areas on campus due to possibly infringing on people’s civil rights.
However for Knight, he believes people should have no expectation of privacy in any public place.
- Indecent offender arrested twice in one week, West Shore RCMP says
- Volkswagen Canada announces airbag fix for recalled Atlas SUVs after almost one year wait
- B.C.’s carbon tax hike kicks in on Monday, April 1 so prepare to pay more at the pump
- Spike in Metro Vancouver restaurant closures sparks concern
Comments