Public needs to know issues

Because of an open discussion of an incident on campus, CSULB is becoming aware of problems with the University Police.

Over the past two months, the editorial staff of the Forty-Niner has been following a reported case of attempted abduction on campus. The issue of public safety has been raised repeatedly.

In this case, University Police say that they have done a good job of notifying the campus because they issued a press release to the local newspapers and several news stations in the county.

University Police also posted bulletins in the police station and the University Student Union but not across the rest of campus, Capt. Stan Skipworth said.

That is awfully convenient. They posted bulletins where the stations are located!

Apparently that is what the police think constitutes informing the public. Maybe they didn't realize that for one reason or another, many college students do not watch the evening newscast.

The most common comparison is to a case at nearby Cypress College where a female student was accosted and raped in a campus parking lot.

In that case administrators issued press releases, sketches and posted bulletins all over the campus, including all pedestrian entrances.

At CSULB, the director of housing and residential life, Gary Little did not even know about the attempted abduction. Considering the number of students living in the residence halls, one would think that this would be a prime location for the police to post flyers and bulletins notifying students.

It is important to say we are not trying to turn against the campus police. We only feel that more should be done to protect and serve the campus community.

Campus organizations like the Women's Resource Center, Student Life and Development and Counseling and Psychological Services offer workshops teaching ways to keep safe on campus. The campus police also offer an escort service at night.

We are not saying that nothing is being done.

We are saying more needs to be done.

Students need to know what they need to protect themselves against before they can learn how to protect against it.

At least bringing these issues to the forefront has created dialogue on campus.

Now that the issue has been addressed, maybe the next time we have an incident like this there will be an adequate flow of information on campus.

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