Security at UWI is no joke

By Keith Gardner, GUEST COLUMNIST

Anyone who states that security at The University of the West Indies, Mona, is "a joke" ('Thieves school UWI', Sunday Gleaner, May 26, 2013) does so out of ignorance or misrepresentation of the facts. Security at the Mona campus has both a public and a private component: public in the sense that there is a police post staffed by 22 members of the Island Special Constabulary Force. Private security is undertaken by contracted security providers.

A director of security has, among other responsibilities, the collaboration of both private and public security subsystems, formulating and supervising security policies, strategies and plans in an efficient, effective, economic and timely manner.

The Mona campus is located on a sprawling 650-acre property, surrounded by the Greater August Town communities of Hermitage, Goldsmith Villa, Jungle Twelve, Bedward Gardens, Angola, African Gardens, Duppy Lane, Elletson Flat, the Mona Commons and the University Hospital of the West Indies.

The university both impacts and, in turn, is impacted by these communities, some of which can be described as 'volatile' because of the occasional internecine warfare driven by the illegal gun and drug trade and for turf. The university has intervened through several programmes, including the University Township Programme. The effects of these efforts have been manifested in the significant reduction of crimes both in the communities and on the Mona campus.

The Mona campus was never originally designed as a campus, and many will recall that prior to the university's acquisition of the facilities, the property was used to accommodate war interns. Additionally, the surrounding communities comprise formal and informal residential and commercial structures which are at various stages of development.

Security is, therefore, designed around the notion that the campus is an 'open one'.

Mona has been recording and making available to interested parties information relating to crimes committed on the campus. We have gone a step further by including in our statistical data some crimes, which while not committed on the campus, involve victims that were either students or members of staff.

So, for example, while our records will indicate that eight cases of rape were reported over the last five years, only three were reportedly committed on the campus. All reported incidents are recorded, irrespective of whether they are of a security or safety nature.

Since April 2008, 4,010 incidents were reported to our security operatives. Of this number, 25 per cent related to minor offences such as trespass to person or property.

Over the last five years, only 11 cases of serious crimes (rape, shooting and robbery) have been reported as being committed on the campus. Simple larceny is undoubtedly the greatest cause for concern. Three hundred and five cases were reported over the five-year period, and these are directly associated with unsecured assets, with nearly 900 cases detected over the five years. These include open doors and windows of motor vehicles, offices and lecture rooms.

SPECIFIC CRIMES

Electronic equipment such as laptops, cellular phones, iPads, for which there is great demand, are targeted by criminals who are suspected of collaborating with persons on the campus.

In mid-January this year, it was reported that a number of newly acquired flat-screen LCD professional TV monitors were removed from a temporary storage facility. There was some debate as to whether the disappearance took place before the monitors were delivered or afterwards.

Investigations into the disappearance of the monitors revealed that there was no physical breaking of the door to the storage area, that access was by way of a key to which only a few persons had access, that the monitors could have been taken via two staircases or an elevator. It was determined that there existed a practice of loaning monitors to departments without sufficient security oversight.

The person or persons who took the monitors had not only intimate knowledge of their presence at the storage facility, but also the means to access the storage area without drawing suspicion.

Nine 47-inch and six 47-inch LCD flat-screen TV sets have not been accounted for. The serial numbers are: 111RMDZB9210, 111RMZLB9229, 111RMWVB9217, 111RMHRB9225, 111RMYAB9226, 111RMSSB9230, 111RMQKB9228, 111RMLMB9392; 111RMCJB9203.

All the evidence gathered so far suggests that the thieves were more than familiar with the security arrangement as well as the location of the monitors and were facilitated by insiders.

There have been scores of arrests for various breaches of the Larceny Act and other criminal statutes on the Mona campus. Those persons arrested include students, members of staff as well as intruders.

The rate of conviction stands at 100 per cent and sentence ranges from four years' to 10 months' imprisonment.

The campus remains committed to providing the highest level of security.

Keith M.D. Gardner, a retired assistant commissioner of police, is director of campus security. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.