illusions
of security
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Despite the seemingly safe
atmosphere of the campus, Uni-
versity students are not immune
to crime and security problems
common to most city residents.
The transitory lifestyle of stu-
dents-coning and going at odd
hours, often leaving doors un-
locked and w i n d o w s open--
makes the campus' an easy tar-
get for "rip-offs."
The University's major secur-
ity problem is theft, according
tery cases were reported on
campus last year, nine felonious
assault cases, two assaults with
intent to rape, and 17 reported
cases of indecent exposure.
Davids, however, says that
"with the exception of homi-
cides, the total number of re-
ported crimes in Ann Arbor dif-
fers only slightly from that of
any other city of comparable
size."
He stressed that these are
sity's identification .card policy
as one obvious security problem.
He knows of no other university
that does not require student
ID cards to contain individual
pictures.
"The University's s t u d e n t
,identification system has work-
ed against itself. The student
ID card is meaningless. We have
a list of about 800-900 cards,
and it's easy for just anybody
to get away with using a phony
ID card," he explained.
The University has considered
instituting ID cards with student
pictures, but no plans have been
finalized.
In offering possible precau-
tions toward insuring greater
safety, Davids said that light is
probably the greatest deterrent
to a potential assailant. But, he
adds, even lights are not im-
mune from attacks by vandals;
dozens and dozens of lights were
broken last year.
"I would like to think that
walking the streets of Ann Ar-
bor is reasonably safe, but you
have to use common sense,"
Da vids advises.
The campus is patrolled by
Burns security guards, who ar-
rived on campus last fall. re-
placing Sanford security guards
-hose contract had expired.
Since Davids made no secret of
his contempt for the Sanford
agents. it came as little surprise
when they were replaced. Burns
patrols are part of the largest
network of private security per-
sonnel in the world.
The Burns agents are not nec-
essarily meant to be University
police in the traditional sense,
however. They merely patrol
campus to check for fires. safety
violations, health hazards, and
to protect University property in
v a r i o u s potentially dangerous
situations, such as campus dem-
onstrations.
The Burns agents were kept
busy last winter, when a myster-
ious rash of arsons struck the
campus area. At first, the arson
was suspected of being related
to political action, but that
theory was quickly disspelled.
More than 60 fires were set dur-
ing January and February, most
of them in University libraries
and dormitories 'with notable
damage to rare books. One of
the worst fires was set in Mark-
V1 The LOOK
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b IN EVERYTHIENG FROM
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CROf
ary Dibble4
ANN ARBOR
AA
1121$. University
THE ARK,
IS A NON-PROFIT
COFFEEHOUSE
sponsored by four Ann
Arbor Churches and the
Community at Large
for the use of the
Ann Arbor Community.
The Ark is also nationally recognized as one of
the Best Coffeehouses in operation today.
In the past The Ark has presented musicians
like David Bromberg, Loudon Wainwright, Jim
Kweskin, Michael Cooney, Biff Rose, Mike Seeger,
etc., including lesser known but equally talented
people such as Joe Hickerson, John Roberts & Tony
Barrand, Bob White, U. Utah Phillips, Rosalie Sor-
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The Ark isa people's place. The door charge is,
kept as low as possible. The refreshments are free,
the music lasts 'til 1
a.m., and the emphasis
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m
to Fredrick Davids, University
Director of Public Safety.
Over $1 million worth of
property is stolen in Ann Arbor
each year and the number of
burglaries is increasing steadily
-up more than 400 cases from
last year.
Private homes, including typi-
cal student residences such as
apartments and rooming houses
;re prime targets.
During Winter '72, over $100,-
000 worth of stolen goods wee
reported. Approximately $59,000
of that amount was personal
property and close to $47,000
was University property.
The majority of thefts involve
business machines and personal
property. Next on the list is bi-
cycle larceny-240 bicycles were
stolen on campus last year and
then automobles-190 cases of
automobile theft were reported.
In 1971 there were 245 report-
ed bzre al;dng and enterings
(B&E's) on campus. 179 in-
volved University owned build-
ings-offices and dormitories.
Other cases involved automo-
biles and coin machines.
A total of 25 assault and bat-
dia
aride
By JAN BENEDETTI
It seemed like a good idea at
the time. With a growing con-
cern over inadequate campus
security, many thought that
expanding the city's Dial-a-
Ride bus service to the campus
area would be successful. But
it wasn't.
Campus Dial-a-Ride services
were discontinued last winter
due to a lack of student use.
The service ran from 7 to 12
in the evening at 25 cents a
ride in an area which encom-
pased the University Terrace
apartments, the Michigan Un-
ion, Oxford Housing and the
sorority houses on Hill Street.
To use the service, students
simply called a central number
and buses were then dispatched
to drive passengers to their
requested destinationst
According to a report by Pet-
er Ostafin, University Housing
dept. secretary, low ridership
caused Dial-a-Ride to cost the
University as much as an ad-
ditional $2.75 per person
Many students complained
that the service did not operate
in a large enough area. Some
suggested that it did not run
late enough at night.
The city's Dial-a-Ride service
is still operating, however, in a
limited area and at a higher
cost per passenger.
According to Tom Urbanik
of the city's transportation divi-
sion, "It~ can only serve a limit-
ed function, primarily servicing
shoppers in the downtown
area."
"reported losses," and that re-
covery figures have not yet
been determined.
It should also be noted that
many crimes are not reported.
"The wide open-ness of this
c a m p u s probably contributes
to the incidence of crime on
campus," according to Davids.
"However, we don't fair too bad-
ly when compared to other Big
Ten schools in the area of cam-
pus safety," he added.
Security problems on the
campus of Ohio State Univer-
sity recently resulted in the in-
stitution of a checkpoint sys-
tem. People driving onto campus
are required to check in and
check out.
Davids points to the Univer-
ley Hall early one winter morn-
ing, causing the entire dorm to
be evacuated at 5 a.m.
Two students have been im-
plicated - and indicated - in
some of the arson cases. but
there have been no firm trial
plans.
To hgnrdle security problems
mo-e severe then those dent
with by Burns sq-nts. the city
last wnter rstablished a Uni-
versi' uni' of its police force.
This mov^ culminated a long
controversy over the city's
proper role in policing the Uni-
versity. The state legislature
last year ordered the University
to stop paying the city for fire
and police services. leaving the
University in somewhat of a
quandary over security.
But the problems-as far as
administrators and the city
police are concerned-were re-
solved with the formation of the
new unit. funded by the Uni-
versity. Six members of the new
unit parade about campus, be-
decked in blue blazors bearing
University unit emblems. What
they do during patrols is un-
clear, but they certainly make
their presence known atkin-
auspicious moments for some
students, such as' at demonstra-
tions where they can identify
students they have met on their
earlier patrols. The University
unit's scanty forces were on
hand, for example. at last sum-
mer's crater diggings on the
Diag, which resulted in some 40
arrests of persons who allegedly
dug simulated bomb craters as
a war protest.
Security problems also plague
the Univerity's dorms, prompt-
ing the Office of University
Housing to institute various
dorm security measures.
New to dorm security this year
is a $10,000 two-way radio sys-
tem. A central office receives
calls from students about prob-
lems in their dorms, and the
message is then relayed to the
closest security guard.
Although the system is an im-
provement over past systems, it
still requires that a resident
make that first call, explains
Chief Security Officer David
Foulke.
5'00 se-urity chains have also
b -en installed on doors that lead
to resident rooms. in all of the
University dorms.
Most dorms have instituted a
nolicy of keeping outside doors
locked during evening hours.
Residents are each given keys or
card-keys to allow them to en-
t'r, the building when needed.
To accommodiate this closed
door policy: these dorms have
also installed outdoor phones
for oeople to call into the
building.
"We have found that the key
system has alleviated much of
the unwanted traffic wander-
ing through our halls," explains
one building director.
Others have noted. however,
that the system is not very ef-
fective because non-residents
can easily enter the building un-
challenged by walking in at the
same time as a key-holding resi-'
dent.
Dorms encourage residents to
use the city's Operation Identi-
fication program. The necessary
engraving equipment is available
at dorm main desks, and special
identification stickers have been
printed for dorm use.
One of the major problems
with dorms, however, is the re-
luctance of residents to take
necessary security precautions,
according to Foulke.
Most administrators believe
that security problems can only
be eliminated with the coopera-
tion of dorm residents.
"Any security system is only
as good as the responsibility of
the residents," e m p h a s i z e s
Foulke. "We advise residents to
establish good habits, not con-
fusing trust with carelessness."
A massive campaign to alert
residents to the problems of
dorm security was made last
year, -,d is scheduled to con-
tinue this year along with a
campaign to inform residents
about precautions they can take
to guard against bicycle theft.
Pesters informing residents
what to do in the case of a se-
curity problem and advising res-
idents of security precautions
are seen scattered along the
valls of dorm halls and lobbies.
Dorm staff members, especially
the Rpsidert Advisors, have been
asked to stress the importance
of taking security precautions.
Foulke cites a major problem
in this regard as being the fail-
ure of residents to lock their
own rooms while visiting neigh-
boring rooms or while taking a
shower.
Residents are also advised to
report all suspicious situations
in their dorms to the campus
police by calling 764-0520.
And anotser suggestion to
residents is that they report all
thefts, no matter how minor, to
police officials. A report filed at
the dorm's main desk is even
advisable rather than no report
at all. Statistics are often dif-
ficult to analyze when it appears
obvious that many crimes have
not been reported.
The key to solving security,
problems does not rest simply
with i n s t a 11 i n g "impressive
hardware," says Dave William-
son, C e n t r a l Area Director.
"There is a need for community
consciousness about what their
responsibilities should be."
If that appeals to )Lu
come on over.
p
operation
identification
By CHRIS PARKS
When you come to Ann Arbor
this fall-especially if you plan
to live in an apartment or room-
ing house-you are likely to be-
come a target for rip-off artists
of all sorts-especially' Breaking
and Entering (B&E) experts.
A credit card slipped through
the door, a screw driver jammed
under a window-that's all it
would probably take for some-
one to enter your home. And
when they leave, a new record
player, tape deck, television or
whatever else they can carry,
may go with them.
Over the last year, incidents
of robbery have increased in the
city by over 400 cases-a total
of over $1 million lost to thieves.
One of the most common
forms of robbery is the B&E and
the most popular targets are
apartments located in student
neighborhoods.
One step you can take to
protect yourself is to enlist in
the police department's Opera-
tion Identification program.
To join, go to the Police
Community Relations office on
the first floor of City Hall.
There, you can pick up an elec-
tric engraving tool and official
stickers.
Simply engrave your drivers
license number on all valuable
appliances and register them
with the police. Then, if you are
ripped-off, the stolen goods can
be quickly identified by police
officers.
Perhaps the greatest strength
of the program, however, is its
value as a deterrent. Be sure to
get plenty of Operation Identi-
fication stickers to place on
windows and doors.
Would-be thieves have been
known to have second thoughts
about e n t e r i n g apartments
which are clearly identified as
being protected by the program.
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