They’re everywhere, jangling a mass of keys and thudding heavy boots, lurking behind doorways that cleverly conceal their ominous presence, emitting random scratchy whispers from their walkie-talkies. They frequent all the student-loved zones of the school: Wilson Commons, the Academic Quad, the Fraternity Quad. Students standing casually outside a fraternity, drinking out of an unmarked water bottle are suddenly subject to intense interrogation about its contents. An unsuspecting student pleasantly napping in the lounge is seized and removed, and two quarreling roommates have beaming flashlights shone in their eyes. They have come, and they mean business. Security rules the campus.
While many student opponents of the University’s Security operations would have you believe that they run a sort of mini Gulag under the guise of policing, it is hard to claim that Security on campus doesn’t have a true purpose and absolute necessity. Despite the minor horror stories of students questioned for relatively mundane behaviors (and no, drunken fist fighting on the Quad is by no means mundane), it is hard to believe that Security isn’t a necessary force.
As all students know, things go wrong. The school shooting at Northern Illinois University in February highlights this fact, as CNN noted that the shooter, Steven Kazmierczak, was a dean’s award recipient and leader of a campus criminal justice group, not a traditional “at-risk” student. Whether the dangers prevalent on campus are that of unexpected violence or the potent combinations of binge drinking and illegal drug use, it is clear that something must be done. According to the Center for Disease Control, about 90 percent of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 is in the form of binge drinks, and about half of all binge drinkers are in the 18 to 20 age range. As the frequency of this practice heightens with weekends and celebrations, it is hard to see Security officers as villains when their job is to prepare for the worst, even if they eye us curiously as we tumble off the Fraternity Quad.
While the presence of thunderous black boots in a dorm hall seems, at first sight, a daunting icon of authority, the personal dedication of these officers quickly melts that cold demeanor and shows that these individuals work exhaustingly so that students can safely travel across campus without a suspicious glance backwards. And the collaboration between student leaders and officers has never been stronger. UR Security Officer Joe Reed elaborates that maintaining security on campus is a challenging but shared responsibility.
“My director sets the example and shows how this campus needs to be run,” he said. “And, with that, at nighttime, many of our students run the campus and community events. And we have some awesome student leaders who do a great job at keeping Rochester safe, so we appreciate that. They help make the job easier.”
Behind those stiff collars and heavy walkie-talkies are residents of the same neighborhoods students enjoy on trips downtown, and within those definitive crisp outfits are surprisingly engaging personalities. Regardless of what an indignant beer guzzler might relay to you about his experiences on the Fraternity Quad, Security personnel maintain that their intentions are not to put a damper on a more interesting evening, but to make sure the campus is safe enough for both those students who engage in the nightlife and those who abstain.
“Whether a student is on campus or living off campus, engaging in dangerous behavior or simply affected by it, we try to take a neutral approach, and offer as much support as possible,” Reed said.
It’s hard to argue with that.
Titus is a member of the class of 2011
